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E H T O T E ID U G ’S N A M O W T THE SMAR

E S U A P O MEN L

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YOUR HEALTH

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21-DAY EXERCISE AND DIET PLAN

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The truth about

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Life’s most

g n i t libestraa ge! ON SALE NOW Your must-have guide, available from supermarkets and newsagents

Contents On the cover

This week, we’re celebrating the work of Carol Davidson, 54, from Cambridge. She wrote to say…

WORDS BY HANNAH POON PHOTOS: SWNS

’ve always considered myself a lucky woman. Happily married with two wonderful children and a good income. Only, in 2013, everything changed for us. My then 14-year-old daughter Emmie suddenly became seriously ill. We didn’t know what was wrong and after hours spent with doctors in hospital appointments, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Within a matter of months, she’d gone from being a normal teenager, to using a wheelchair and not being able to do anything alone. She was unable to wash or get dressed by herself. It broke my heart as I watched her health deteriorate, and soon, I asked my employer to reduce my workload. Only, as I was in a

Bitesize! 1

5 6 7 ACROSS 1 Cry of despair (4) 5 Picture card (4) 6 Opposed to (4) 7 Put one’s feet up (4) JUST FOR DOWN 1 Slightly open (4) 2 Country road (4) 3 Performs (4) 4 Brief satirical sketch (4)

FUN

Read down the shaded squares for the answer. Answer on page 47.

started suffering with chronic fatigue, too, and soon, he became housebound. I was now working part-time, as well as caring for Emmie’s and Michael’s needs. Money was tighter than ever, and I turned to OLIO for help again. They were looking for ‘Food Waste Heroes.’ Soon, I became part of a team of five – taking it in turns to collect unsold food items from a national food retailer. I had to look In return, I keep 10% after my family of what I have collected, and the rest is placed on the app and given to people who now come to senior position in a school, my house to collect. there was nothing they could Their reasons vary, and I do, so I was forced to resign. never pressure them to tell me. Behind the scenes we had to Now, our family meals are urgently save money in order based on the food I collect. to pay the bills and that was With Emmie’s and Michael’s when I found OLIO, a conditions, I like to make sure I smartphone app for sharing am fuelling them with the food and non-food items. nutrients they need, and Desperate to cut corners, I collected items We had OLIO helps me do that. Thanks to OLIO, my such as pasta, bread, to cut food shop only fruit and three boxes of corners monthly costs me £100. expensive chocolates to save Six years ago, I never from local people I didn’t imagined this would be even know. my life, but we’ve had some OLIO was a lifesaver for us major curveballs thrown at us and soon it became part of my along the way. weekly routine. For me, the most important Over time, Emmie’s health thing is that my family are well began to improve, and I was looked after. able to go back to work. But then things took another z To become a Food Waste turn. My husband Michael, 54, Hero, visit: olioex.com

Sneaky peek at this week!

6 Tortured with a hoodie when I tried to leave 10 Heartbroken to discover it wasn’t just a birthmark 24 How I learned to love my worst enemy 28 Hit and run stole my girl’s memories 42 Nurse was chopped up in her own bath while she was on a date 50 My man’s naked calendar cock-up

More real life 17 Shock and awe 20 Hello world! 32 Runaway success

From you 3 One in a million 12 Your brainwaves

Feelgood 4 9 15 16 23 26 34 36 38 39 40 44 45 48 51

Your pick me ups Your home Your dilemmas Your health Animal magic Your style A losing game Your telly Genius or bonkers? Look amazing! Easy eats… Solve it in 7 A chance to win £250! Food and drink Your stars

Editor: Gail Shortland Senior Writer: Laea Marshall Feature Writers: Rosie Crass, Hannah Poon, Nia Dalton Senior Designer: Victoria Elliott Designer: Emily Kelford Junior Designers: Yazz Williams, Hollie Moxham, Mel Walter

P40 Quick and tasty P26 Spot on

P9 The bee’s knees!

m k c i p r You Do you believe this?

Wh didn’t y y get th ou e job?

Did you know? here really isn’t anything T better than a greasy fry-up for breakfast after a heavy night out. A full English is the ultimate holy grail promised to rectify your thumping headache. Does a bacon butty really cure your hangover, or is it a myth? British Lion eggs carried out a survey to test the results. They found that 38% of Brits who chose to eat a fry up recovered from their hangover in less than three hours, compared to 19% of those who took painkillers and 3% who stayed in bed all day. A quarter of respondents rely

WORDS: SWNS STOCK IMAGES: GETTY AND ALAMY

GET IN TOUCH Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mailhello@pickmeupmag.co.uk WRITE TO Pick Me Up! Media Centre, Emma-Chris Way, Abbey Wood Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7JU PHONE 01174400607 FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Pick Me Up! magazine, in any format or medium. Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae. Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication.

evermind your weak handshake – there are N plenty of other things that can scupper you in a job interview. Like admitting you ‘take too much valium’. That’s just one interview blunder revealed in a survey of bosses conducted by HR firm CareerBuilder. They also reported the candidate who acted out a scene from Star Trek, the one who turned up in a tracksuit because he was ‘going jogging after the interview’, the one who called himself his own personal hero, and the one who asked for a hug. And you thought the people on The Apprentice were idiots.

on a dish that contains eggs to cure them. Eggs are nature’s multivitamin, offering highquality protein, B vitamins and vitamin D which helps fight hangovers and improve alertness. Bacon and eggs both contain an amino acid called cysteine, which scientists claim can decrease alcohol toxins in your body. So, science proves it, your local café really is a Godsend after a night on the bevs!

LOOKING FOR LOVE… ntroducing a new dating era – Iwhich the Glaries online dating app – will see us all dating with purpose. No need to waste time chatting, matching or dating offline – just tell the app what you’re looking for and let it do the rest! So how does it work? zTHE REQUEST: Users create 10 second video message pitches to users of their choice who have ‘Set up a date’ on their profile and are awaiting requests. Video pitches allow users to see a person before meeting to decide if the date is for them. zTHE SET-UP: Users create their dates by ‘Setting up a Date’, requesting ‘date, time, location’. The Glaries technology incorporates the convenience of location and common interests. Free to download on Apple, Android and Google.

My granddaughter loves the outdoors and Harry Potter, so off we descended, with glasses, into the woods in search of Hagrid’s house! Mary Hadley, Cradley Heath

My son Jett enjoys his houmous so much, he likes to wash himself with it! Stacy Gibson, Wordsley

SLTETATERR

My six-week-old son Vincent. This is the life! Francesca Mowles, Suffolk

orld Book Day brings the same challenges every year. How can you miraculously turn your child into Thomas the Tank Engine? Will a different Harry Potter in school have a better wand? Does Elsa from Frozen count as a book character? This World Book Day on 5 March, Party Delights are saving you all the faff and stress with their imaginative, exclusive World Book Day costume collection. Helping parents, teachers and kids to bring their beloved book characters to life, the collection includes popular characters created by authors such as Roald Dahl, David Walliams, Julia Donaldson and more. z All costumes are available to purchase at partydelights.co.uk.

! d e p p a Sn My daughter Italia is a super cool chick with attitude – just like Rihanna! Angela Garvin, Romford

UNU SUA BUY L

eed to brush your hair before you snap a selfie? No problem, the Selfie Brush is here to help. Just stick your phone in the back of the brush, which makes it easier to hold when it’s selfie time, and you can flip it around and run it through your mane any time you want! Truly remarkable. z Get yours for £13 from www. thehut.com

Here’s my hubby-to-be and beautiful son Ronnie, they are my world! Alexandra Low, Halesowen If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details. 5

WORDS BY KATIE PEARSON AND LAEA MARSHALL PHOTOS: SWNS AND ALAMY

eaving through the crowd, I spotted my sister Zoe, 34, sat by the stage, saving us a couple of ring side seats. ‘Go on, hit him,’ I giggled. ‘It’s going to be a good match tonight,’ she replied, taking a sip of her drink. It was September 2017, and I’d met my sister for a local charity boxing match, held in our hometown. After watching a few rounds of fighting, the pair of us felt pumped up. ‘Shall we hit a club?’ Zoe suggested, calling a taxi. When we arrived, we headed to the bar and bumped into a few friends, as well as a few new faces. One of which in particular caught my eye. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked, nudging my sister excitedly. ‘I think he’s called Aaron,’ she replied with a cheeky grin. She’d seen him around and, living in a small town, she’d heard his name before. After finishing my drink, I plucked up the courage to go and speak to him. Aaron Medcraft, 21, was incredibly good-looking and his smile made me feel weak at the knees. ‘Nice to meet you,’ he said with a friendly smile. Luckily, my nerves vanished quickly – he was easy to chat to. After getting to know each other over a couple of drinks, he asked for my number. ‘Let’s meet up soon,’ he suggested, typing his digits into my phone. ‘Definitely,’ I blushed. The next day, I woke up to notifications on my phone, including one from Aaron. I felt a huge grin spread across my face. Lovely meeting you last night, he wrote sweetly. We started exchanging messages before arranging to go for a drink later that week. We met up at the local pub and got to know each other. As well as being charming, Aaron was incredibly caring and funny – I could feel myself falling head over heels for him. It was a whirlwind romance, and in a matter of weeks, we were officially going out. Things got off to a great start, Aaron was incredibly affectionate and showered me with gifts. ‘This is for you,’ he said, handing me a Pandora jewellery box. ‘It’s so beautiful!’ 6

G N I K A T HE WANTED M E

DEAD

’t n ld u co y, b g u R m o fr , 2 3 , n so rt e b o R Holly ke li n a m a d n u fo e sh n e h w ck lu r e h e ev beli o… g r e h t le ’t n ld u o w e h n e th t u B . n ro a A I beamed, fastening the silver charm bracelet to my wrist. I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve such a nice guy. At the time, I was living at home with my mum Janice, 58, and we started discussing the idea of finding a place together. Unfortunately however, the honeymoon period didn’t last long, and our grand plans to move in together never panned out. About a month into our relationship, I started to see a different side to Aaron. He had a short fuse and could be quite unpredictable, flying off the handle at every

little thing I did. We would mainly fight about money though. Aaron didn’t have a job, so it was always a sore point. Some days I found myself walking on eggshells around him, just in case things erupted. ‘I hate you,’ he screamed at me, stomping out of my house after we’d had a fiery argument. Although, as soon as he calmed down, he’d be back at my door with his tail between his legs, begging for forgiveness. ‘I’m really sorry,’ he apologised, giving me a hug. ‘I love you.’ But despite his

I started to see a different side to him

apologies, he never changed – in fact, things continued to get worse as time went on. His anger kept escalating, until soon, he became physically violent, doing things like smashing glasses and punching walls. We were on and off for the next couple of years. I tried my best, but the relationship was toxic – for both of us – and by December 2018, I’d had enough. ‘What are you going to do?’ Zoe asked with concern, putting the kettle on. ‘I’m going to end things,’ I explained with defeat. ‘Once and for all.’ So, on 12 January 2019, I invited Aaron over to the house with the intention of breaking

VIOLENT REAL LIFE

. . . D L G HO The cord dug into my flesh

up with him. I picked a night when my mum was out. In hindsight, I wish she’d been there. Hey, can you come over tonight? I wrote before bravely hitting send. Later that evening, there was a knock on the door and I felt the nerves welling inside me. ‘Come in,’ I said nervously, inviting him into the house. We sat on the sofa and I jumped straight in – like ripping off a plaster. ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ I confessed, breaking down in tears. ‘It’s over.’ Aaron’s smile dropped and his jaw clenched. ‘What?’ he spat. ‘Calm down,’ I pleaded, reaching for his arm. Before I could react, Aaron knocked me to the ground and started punching me. ‘Please,’ I begged, trying to cover my face. ‘Stop it, Aaron.’ Eventually, I wriggled away from his grip, but he caught up with me several times and continued to attack me. I made a dash for the bathroom – slamming the door shut and locking him out. I took a deep breath as the pain started to sink in. Before I had time to recover, there was a massive bang as

Aaron’s foot hit the door. He kicked relentlessly until it came off its hinges and there was nothing between us. ‘Aaron, please calm down,’ I pleaded with him. Suddenly, he tugged at the cord from his hoodie and pulled it clean out. He gripped it tightly with both hands and edged closer towards me. ‘What are you doing?’ I whispered, scrambling to get to my feet. I tried to flee, but he lurched forward and grabbed a hold of my arm. ‘If I can’t have you,’ he hissed, inches from my face. ‘Then no one can.’ Quick as a flash, he wrapped the cord around my throat and yanked the ends hard. I feebly tugged at the string, desperate to escape, but it was no use – I started spluttering and gasping for breath. Black spots appeared in my vision as everything started going blurry. This is it, I thought to myself helplessly. I’m going to die. He used the cord to strangle me not once, not twice, but three times! Each time knocking me unconscious. Aaron attacked

me for over two hours that night and I knew I had to make a break for it before he really did kill me. The moment he eased up, I mustered all my energy, and sprinted for the front door. I made it outside the house onto the street, but Aaron was close behind. He kicked and punched before dragging me back inside the house… Luckily, moments later, police stormed the house and restrained Aaron. I think one of the neighbours had called 999. ‘Are you OK?’ one of the officers asked, helping me to the sofa. They searched Aaron’s bag and found the cord he’d used to strangle me. Aaron was quickly carted away, and I was finally free. After being checked over by an ambulance crew, I was told just to rest. When Mum came home the next morning, she was shocked. ‘Holly, what has he done to you?’ she cried. ‘It’s over, Mum,’ I wept. My neck

New look and a fresh start

Aaron’s out of my life now

was left throbbing, and my head was in agony, too. Two days later, when the pain wouldn’t go away, Mum took me to the University Hospital in Coventry. There, after an examination, doctors told me I had a severe concussion and needed rest. I was treated and sent home, but nothing could heal the emotional scars Aaron had left. A few months later, in June 2019, the case was seen at Warwick Crown Court. I went along with my head held high. Giving my evidence from behind a screen was scary, but I I was doing the right thing. Aaron was on trial for attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent to cause serious injury, but he denied it all. He even claimed the string marks on my neck had been self-inflicted. ‘That’s ridiculous,’ I scoffed to my lawyer. Luckily, the jury agreed with me, and soon came to a unanimous decision. Aaron was quickly convicted of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent to cause serious injury, damaging the door, and assault, too. The judge warned that he’d face ‘a substantial period of custody’ and he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with a three-year licence period. Although the attack has left me struggling with anxiety, I’m trying to remain positive through it. I’ve since found myself a nice flat and I’m ready for a fresh start. It will take a while to be able to trust someone again, but for now, I’m happy on my own, and happy that Aaron is out of my life. He no longer has a choke-hold on my heart and I finally feel like I can breathe again. 7

R O F T S U J

FUN Follow it! Go before court (5,5)

Ogle

Yield, give up

Clip

Pronoun t

Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture. The arrows show you where to put your answers. The answer is spelled in the yellow squares. Answers on page 47.

See photo

Delicate strand

Change direction

Arabic man’s name

Middle Eastern port

Playthings

Tolerates

To sum up (2,5)

Fish’s body part

Finish

Not together

Slippery fish

IMAGES: GETTY RECIPE CREATED BY LUCY BURTON FROM PUDDING LANE BLOG ON BEHALF OF NATURE’S FINEST

Unit

Network

Value

_ Blyton, children’s author

Overlook (4,3)

_ Moore, actress

Former King of Norway Style of Greek column

Bad deeds

Sticky and soft

Burst

Doleful

As well, also

Composer

Lima’s country

Someone Like You singer Judo grade

To select

Elicit

Wading bird

Employs

Biblical priest

Just

Alcoholic Woman’s drink name

Over again Set a candle alight

Viewing organs

Memo

Alliance

Roe

Jeer

Mexican pancake

Live

However

NATURESFINES TFOOD.CO.UK

Age

To trouble, afflict European port

Handy

Location

Types of tree

Lawful

Belonging to the person

L Cleansing agent

Seed case

Unhappily

Ice house

Fast tempo

Loan shark

Mythical giant bird

Wholly

Rule

Swindle

_ Blair, ex-PM

Annoys

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Nature’s Finest fruits are picked and packed at the peak of ripeness, then potted in juice, with no added sugar. Drain the mango, seeds and vanilla in a reserving 1 bowl and mix together. tablespoon of juice. Taste, and add a little Place 100g of the honey to sweeten if you mango in a food like. Stir through the processor with the remaining mango. reserved juice. Blitz Divide between the until it is a smooth two pots, place in puree. Divide between the fridge and leave to two pots or jars soak and set overnight. Place the yoghurt, Top with nuts, yoghurt oats, milk, chia and coconut to serve.

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Bethanie Rollings, 22, from Peterborough, thought the port wine stain on her baby’s head was just a birthmark…

radling our newborn son, Oscar, I was completely in love. ‘He’s absolutely perfect,’ I said to my boyfriend, Tim, 26. We were both over the moon, but after a traumatic labour I was just grateful he was here safe and sound. After hours of pushing, doctors started using forceps, but nothing seemed to work and I ended up going into

New parents 10

theatre for an emergency C-section. The calm hypno-birth I’d planned had gone straight out the window, but thankfully Oscar seemed perfectly healthy, except for a little bruising on his forehead. ‘It’s probably from the birth,’ the midwife assured us. ‘Nothing to worry about.’ Besides, my mum, Gemma, 42, was a nurse and she thought the same. ‘It’ll clear up soon,’ she explained to us both. We thought little more of it and I soon settled into life as a new mum. Oscar was such a chilled little baby, he slept and fed really well but as the weeks passed, the mark on his forehead didn’t seem to go anywhere. ‘What’s that mark?’ the health visitor asked when she came by one afternoon. ‘We think it’s just bruising from the birth,’ I explained. ‘I was told it would go down, but it’s stayed the same so far.’ ‘It could be a birthmark,’ she suggested, taking a closer look. But every

MY LITTLE BOY health visitor who came to see him seemed to have a different opinion about it. Some thought it was bruising and others thought it could be a birthmark. ‘Get it checked out,’ one recommended. ‘I’ll ask the doctor when I next see him,’ I replied. Over the next few days, we had to take Oscar to the doctors anyway. He had jaundice and they needed to run a few tests. Whilst there, I asked the doctor for his opinion. ‘If it’s not gone away by now,

I’d assume it’s a birthmark,’ the doctor said, taking a look. Nothing to worry about then, I thought to myself. A few weeks later, I got a letter in the post. It was an email chain from doctors, all commenting on what they thought the mark on Oscar’s forehead could be. Attached was a letter asking me to see the doctor. The doctor we’d seen about Oscar’s jaundice, had clearly asked for a second opinion and other doctors thought it could be more than a birthmark. It

G K

UNIQUE REAL LIFE

We knew all along

weren’t sure, and treated Oscar like they would treat someone who had epilepsy. Thankfully, after a few days, Oscar improved, and he got to We don’t know when go home. the next seizure will be But ten minutes after walking through the front door, he had another seizure. enjoyed an evening out. ‘Call an ambulance,’ I cried But in the early hours of the to Tim, feeling totally helpless morning Tim’s mum, called us about it all. in a panic. In the space of just a few ‘Oscar’s having a seizure,’ she weeks, Oscar had ten seizures cried on the phone. in total. ‘An ambulance is Watching them on its way.’ happen was Tim and I rushed terrifying, but we round there, but I had some brilliant was a total wreck. support around us. I couldn’t bear to Eventually we see my little boy like received the that and struggled diagnosis we’d to even go into suspected all along. the room. ‘Oscar does have It was all so scary. Sturge-Weber,’ the Oscar’s seizure lasted for 40 doctor confirmed to us one minute and finally stopped just afternoon. ‘We’ll refer him to a as we arrived at the hospital. Tim and I knew it was down to Sturge-Weber. ‘It must be that,’ I cried. We’ve got Only, the doctors still through it all together

I was starting to believe the doctors got it all wrong

Our smiley baby 11

WORDS BY ROSIE CRASS AND HOLLY SAWYER PHOTOS: SWNS

could be Sturge-Weber, one commented. I’d never heard of it before, but quickly typed it into Google. The results were terrifying. Seizures… brain surgery… paralysis… ADHD… They could all be caused by Sturge-Weber. As I looked down at my perfectly content little boy, a whole host of scary thoughts filled my mind. Grabbing my phone, I quickly called Tim who was at work. ‘I’ll come home now,’ he said, realising how worried I was. As we looked into Sturge-Weber more, I tried to stay calm. ‘Let’s not think the worst,’ Tim soothed. Over the next few weeks, we were back and forth to the doctors, but nothing was confirmed. Oscar seemed perfectly fine and I started to think they’d got it all wrong. We carried on as normal, and Oscar went to stay at his Nan’s for the night, whilst Tim and I

specialist for treatment.’ Before long, Oscar had been referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital and the consultant there explained the condition properly. Suddenly, everything wasn’t quite so scary. Although the seizures could cause a developmental delay, getting on top of them early was key to keeping the condition under control. Oscar was put on medication and so far, he’s responded really well. We have to keep an eye on him because his meds will need to change as he gets older, but right now it seems to be working and he hasn’t had a seizure since. In a way, I’m glad he had one when he did. It meant we’ve been able to control his symptoms from early on. Now, we’re fund raising for specialist equipment. It should help us to recognise when Oscar is about to have another seizure. Without it, we’ll never know when his next seizure will be. But for now, Oscar is doing really well. It’s scary but I’ll protect him through all of this. He’ll always be my little boy. z To donate and help Bethanie get specialist equipment for Oscar visit www. gofundme.com and search for Oscar’s Fund.

. . . s e v a Brainw Your

We share your brilliant tips!

Five bathroom storage solutions

Be a winner !

ake more use of your space at home with Rated People’s bathroom space-saving storage tips...

the same amount of storage space as traditional shelves but disguise clutter and look clean and modern.

1.CORNER CABINETS

3.SINK STORAGE

Choose shelves and cabinets that can tuck into the corner of a room to free up space.

2.WALL BOXES This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! This Drawer Tidy triple pack (£14.99) is perfect for storing all manner of bits and bobs that never seem to find a home. Get everything clean and tidy and in its own organiser placed in the drawer. Non slip base and feet ensuring nothing slides around. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk

Make u of even se smallesthe spaces! t

Wall boxes provide

Built-in storage under sinks and baths make use of wasted space and can create storage in even the tiniest bathroom.

4.MIRRORED CABINET

Consider a mirrored cabinet to create the look of space as well as storage.

5.HOOKS AND BASKETS

The key to an organised bathroom is hooks and baskets. Little jars make for stylish organisation.

Spect-acular tip

Light it up

Use a dryer sheet to clean your glasses. Keep it in your case! A.Cairns, Essex

To make your candle burn slower and last longer, just freeze it before lighting. Carol Adams, West Midlands

Easy to use!

To stop your blinds blowing all over when it’s windy and you have the windows open, just hook one of the blinds over the window handle. Julie Surtees, Gateshead 12

Tip of th weeke

COMPILED BY NIA DALTON STOCK PHOTOS: GETTY

Windy city

Remember, these are YOUR tips – we haven’t tried them ourselves

R O F T S U J

ACROSS

Fill it! N U F

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: type of shoe Answer on page 47.

9 10

16 17

38 50

88 6

4 85

Which one of the listed numbers wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit in this mini grid? Answer on page 47.

FUN Number fit! 73

46 82

22 30

Certain to succeed (4-4) A binding (8) Donkeys (5) Agrees (7) Avengers: Endgame actress, Scarlett _ (9) 7 Stale (6) 8 Contemporary, new (6) 9 Consider proper or desirable (3,3) 15 Woodland flowers (9) 17 Straight line through a circle (8) 18 Continues (8) 20 Saturated (7) 21 European language (6) 22 Arachnid (6) 23 _ Faith, singer whose last album was titled The Architect (6) 25 Leaps (5)

JUST FOR

Strike it!

1 2 3 5 6

Your answer ______________________________

On your bingo card, cross out all the numbers that appear on the balls. Read the letters beside the remaining numbers on your card from left to right to spell out your answer word. Answer on page 47.

Sovereign of a Muslim country (6) Herb (8) Official lists or records (9) Sharpened (5) Outdoor events (5) Money manager (9) Traditional Welsh dish (7) Cummerbund (4) Insects (4) Authentic (7) Improvise (4,2,3) __ Gandolfini, actor famous for playing Tony Soprano (5) 26 Salivate (5) 27 Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s companions (9) 28 Verge (8) 29 Egyptian god (6)

DOWN

1 4 10 11 12 13 14 16 19 21 24 25

9 17 27 38 46 59

59 32 C

73 82

66 74 85 A

2468/6268/4682/8626/8646 13

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Your

. . . s a m Dilem ce vi ad d oo g e m so r fo ! p U e M k ic P Stuck for what to do? Write to

What is there for me now?

In a few months, all my children will have left home and I’m convinced I’m going to be so lonely. I’m not ready to stop being a mum and I’m not sure I remember how to be anything else. Sara, Birmingham

A Pippa Best is the founder of Sea Soul Blessings (seasoulblessings.com) and creates simple easyto-use tools that combine mindfulness, compassion and the power of nature to change lives for the better.

Too late to take back

I told my sister I don’t like her husband and she can’t forgive me. It’s caused such a rift. How can I make it better? Ruby, Southampton

We never stop being a mum - even when all of our children have flown the nest. That relationship may change, but your children will continue to need you in different ways. Nonetheless, empty nest syndrome is real, and can be a challenging experience. As we learn to adjust to this new phase of life, we can feel low and lost. It’s important to remember that an empty nest creates space to nurture the other relationships in our life - time to reconnect with your partner, friends or colleagues. Use the next months to plan activities for when the children have left, get outside and start exploring those hobbies you’ve always been curious about. Embrace the chance to broaden your horizons and build new friendships. Stay in touch with your children - and be prepared for them to boomerang back home, just when you’re finally enjoying having time to yourself!

Could be a good thing

My boyfriend and I row all the time. When I tell my family, they say we’re not meant to be together. But isn’t getting everything out in a relationship a good thing to do rather than bottling it up? Helena, London

STOCK PHOTOS: GETTY

He may be more annoying than ‘Baby Shark’, but your sister’s chosen him for life - which means her happiness trumps your discomfort here. Try to identify the positives - how he contributes to your sister’s joy and quality of life. Don’t give up because your sister can’t yet forgive and forget. Instead, be honest with yourself: what motivated that conversation? Maybe you’re jealous of the time they spend together, or his flaws remind you of something you fear in yourself? What could you change to make your relationships easier? You could start by sending a letter to explain your feelings. Be prepared to face the (tinny, irritating…) music - and next time you’re overcome by dislike, breathe deeply and bite your tongue, silently plotting your next siblingsonly spa day.

We all have different perspectives on relationships - some people believe in containing emotions and keeping a stiff upper lip; while others believe that a good row can clear the air. But the most important question here is how do you feel about arguing with your boyfriend? Does it help you to feel heard and understood, or would you prefer to find another way? Do regular arguments help you to progress your relationship - or are you left feeling frustrated, sad or misunderstood? Do your rows affect the experience of others around you - your children or friends? If you’re worried about the impact of your arguments on yourself or others, seek out some external support to help you and your partner communicate effectively without conflict. If you decide that regular arguments actually have a positive impact on your relationship, the simplest solution is to stop talking to your family about them…

GETTING HELP zIf you’d like advice from our Pick Me Up! expert, email us at hello@ pickmeupmag.co.uk or write to us at the address on our contacts page (pg4). zIf your problem affects your mental wellbeing, you can call the helpline run by the charity Mind on 0300 123 3398, open 9am to 6pm weekdays.

Worrying what others think Y OU’V o you worry what easier. E other people think It’s important

all the time? Are you worried they’re are judging you? It’s easy to get caught up with other people’s opinions which can make it harder to make decisions. Think about why you care. It’s natural to have a fear of rejection or to try and avoid negative feedback. Once you recognise that, it can be

T to live in the T HIS moment. You like the dress you’ve put on – so why are you worried about what someone at the party might think later that night? Focus on the things within your control. Remember, those people you think are judging you, are busy worrying about what you think of them!

Julianne Ponan, 30, from Walton-on-Thames, has turned her allergies into something positive…

Finally on my feet

in 2012, aged 22, I started my own allergy friendly food business – Creative Nature. I started off in my own kitchen, cooking up porridges made from maca powder, and then moved on to oat-based snack bars. I managed to sell them to independent health stores, and over the years, I’ve got my products in major UK supermarkets, too. My products have expanded to include baking kits for chocolate cake and even banana bread. I’d suffered so much with my Allergy allergies, and I friendly knew I wasn’t the only one. My business creates a way for people like me to enjoy delicious food without

WORDS BY LAEA MARSHALL PHOTOS: SWNS AND GETTY

arefully balancing her glasses on the tip of her nose, my mum thoroughly scanned the label on a cereal box. ‘This is no good,’ she sighed, placing it back on the shelf. My mum Yvette, now 60, had to be so careful about what I ate, scouring every label on every food item as she did the shop. At two years old, Mum checked after eating a cookie every label at nursery, I’d passed out and was rushed to hospital. There, I was tested for allergies, and it turned out I had a severe allergy to nuts. of my I also couldn’t eat classmates peanuts, chickpeas, sesame put a handful of or poppy seeds, nor could I nuts in my pocket touch lentils. without me seeing. Mum and my dad John, Within seconds, I’d gone now 56, were shown how to into shock, and I was rushed use an EpiPen, and from then straight to hospital. on, we had to be vigilant When I was 18, I went into about what I ate. shock again while on a cruise But it wasn’t just eating with my parents. nuts that would cause a Someone had eaten a bag of reaction – being in nuts, and once again, the same room as I passed out, unable someone who was to breathe. I had eating them would placing me to be so inAfter cause an an ice bath to try anaphylactic shock. careful and shock my body My lips would of it, Dad was with food out swell up, and I’d forced to use the struggle to breathe. EpiPen to save me. Growing up, I had That same year, to be so careful at school, out clubbing with my mates, I sitting alone at lunchtime to passed out again in the bar. avoid anyone who was eating I’d had shot of Sambuca, and a peanut butter sandwich. it turns out, I was also allergic Mum and Dad wouldn’t to aniseed. allow me to go to birthday Eating out was always a parties, as there was no telling challenge, too. what food would be around. I had to call the ‘I don’t want to burden restaurant ahead of time other parents,’ Mum would to let them know. say to me helplessly. Having such severe Needless to say, I was often allergies was like being in a the odd one out among the dangerous minefield. other kids and was bullied for I always had to be so having allergies. careful when I was out. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ But, instead of dwelling on other kids would tease. the negatives, I decided to Once, when I was nine, one do something about it. So,

the doubt. I’ve since had letters from mums all over the country, thanking me for helping them take care of their children with food allergies. I’m so thankful for having landed on my feet, but running my own business comes with its challenges, especially when I fly anywhere for meetings. Usually, I can avoid any nuts by walking away, but on a plane, there’s no escape. In March last year, I was returning from a conference in Hamburg where I’d given a speech about banning all nuts on flights. My argument was that if people can go without smoking for the duration of a flight, they can go without eating nuts. Then, on the way back, I was told I couldn’t get on the plane because of nuts on board! Having severe food allergies is a challenge, but I refuse to let them hold me back. My message to other people like me is to not be scared. My parents did the best they could when I was a child, but they were too scared to let me do anything. But you just need to know your limits. Don’t let your allergies hold you back.

Mums thank me!

s w e n h t l a He The per excusfeect treat to yourse lf

ating chocolate could be the answer to a good night’s sleep, according to nutritionist, Keris Marsden. Speaking at an event, she explained how the food can actually have some major health benefits, as it boosts serotonin which helps you fall to sleep at night. It’s not the first-time chocolate has been found to have health benefits. Previously, researchers from University College London found that people who eat dark chocolate are less likely to be depressed.

2 3 4 HEALTH

T IP

ith 50% of women suffering from irritation due to synthetic and bleached period products, Sanature are trying to change that. Their products are made from 100% natural cotton, which is breathable, absorbent and hypoallergenic.

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I keep getting heart palpitations. It happens when I’m stressed or nervous. Is that normal? Chris, Manchester. Palpitations are a common symptom of stress, nerves and anxiety. Many people describe a sensation of their heart racing or thumping, often more quickly than normal and sometimes it may feel irregular. Whilst most cases of palpitations are harmless they should

TRUE E or FALS

always be discussed with a doctor or healthcare professional, especially if they are new to you or if you also experience chest pain, shortness of breath or feeling faint. Even palpitations that are considered harmless can be helped by medication if they are very intrusive or unpleasant. If stress and anxiety is the cause, your GP can also help you with managing this. Reducing caffeine intake in hot and also fizzy drinks can make a real difference to symptoms.

baby. True False IVF is only available if you pay privately. True False Those going through IVF should be offered counselling. True False Chances of success depends on the age of the woman undergoing treatment. True False There are no health risks involved in IVF. True False

1 TRUE It is one of several techniques that is available to help people who are struggling to conceive have a baby. 2 FALSE IVF is offered on the NHS to women who are eligible for treatment. The final decision about who can have NHS-funded IVF is made by local clinical commissioning groups. 3 TRUE The process can

be both physically and emotionally demanding. Counselling should be offered throughout the process. 4 TRUE Younger women are more likely to have a successful pregnancy and treatment isn’t usually recommended for women over the age of 42 because the chances of success are thought to be too low. 5 FALSE There are a number of health risks including side effects from medication and ectopic pregnancy.

WORDS BY ROSIE CRASS PHOTOS: GETTY

Disclaimer: Medical advice provided is for interest only and should never be substituted for seeing a doctor or seeking medical advice. If you have specific medical concerns please seek advice from a qualified medical professional.

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/Ĩ ǇŽƵ ĂƌĞ ǇĞƚ ƚŽ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŚĂƌŵ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ Flying Scotsman ƚŚĞŶ ŶŽǁ ŝƐ ǇŽƵƌ ĐŚĂŶĐĞ dŚĞ ŝĐŽŶŝĐ ƐƚĞĂŵ ůŽĐŽŵŽƚŝǀĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƌƵŶŶŝŶŐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŚĞƌŝƚĂŐĞ ĂƐƚ >ĂŶĐĂƐŚŝƌĞ ZĂŝůǁĂǇ ŝŶ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌ dƌĂǀĞů ďĞŚŝŶĚ ƚŚŝƐ ŵĂŐŶŝĨŝĐĞŶƚ ϭ(Ϯϯ ďƵŝůƚ ůŽĐŽŵŽƚŝǀĞ ĂƐ ǁĞ ƚĂŬĞ Ă ƚƌŝƉ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŚĞǇĚĂǇ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŐŽůĚĞŶ ĂŐĞ ŽĨ ƐƚĞĂŵ tŝƚŚ ǀŝďƌĂŶƚ ĂƵƚƵŵŶĂů ĐŽůŽƵƌƐ ƉĞƉƉĞƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞƐƋƵĞ ůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞƐ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌ ŝƐ Ă ůŽǀĞůǇ ƚŝŵĞ ƚŽ ƚƌĂǀĞů ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ /ƌǁĞůů sĂůůĞǇ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶǇ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŶĂƚŝŽŶ Ɛ ĨĂǀŽƵƌŝƚĞ steam train.

^ŝŶŐůĞ ƐƵƉƉůĞŵĞŶƚ άϯϱ

,ŝŐŚĐůĞƌĞ ĂƐƚůĞ ŶĞĞĚƐ ůŝƚƚůĞ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐƚŝŽŶ ŬŶŽǁŶ ƚŽ ƐŽ ŵĂŶǇ ĂƐ Downton Abbey from ƚŚĞ ŚƵŐĞůǇ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵů ds ƐĞƌŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ Ĩŝůŵ dŚĞ ĐĂƐƚůĞ ŽŶůǇ ŽƉĞŶƐ ĨŽƌ Ă ůŝŵŝƚĞĚ ƚŝŵĞ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ǇĞĂƌ ďƵƚ ƚŽ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŶĞǁ s ǁĞ ƌĞ ƉůĞĂƐĞĚ ƚŽ announce that the ‘real Downton Abbey ŝƐ ŽƉĞŶŝŶŐ ŝƚƐ ĚŽŽƌƐ ĞǆĐůƵƐŝǀĞůǇ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ ŽŶ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂǇ ϭϭǦǚ :ƵůǇ ϮϬϮϬ dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚǇ ƚŽ ǁĂůŬ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĨŽŽƚƐƚĞƉƐ ŽĨ ǇŽƵƌ ĨĂǀŽƵƌŝƚĞ ĐŚĂƌĂĐƚĞƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ Downton Abbey.

d, &>z/E' ^ Kd^D E Steam Train & Liverpool

1 dinner and traditional music in a wine tavern ǆĐƵƌƐŝŽŶƐ ƚŽ ,ĞŝůŝŐĞŶŬƌĞƵǌ ďďĞǇ ĂĚĞŶ 'ƵŵƉŽůĚƐŬŝƌĐŚĞŶ sŝĞŶŶĂ Θ ZƵƐƚ Wine cellar tour and tasting ŝŶ 'ƵŵƉŽůĚƐŬŝƌĐŚĞŶ 'ƵŝĚĞĚ ĐŝƚǇ ƚŽƵƌ ŽĨ sŝĞŶŶĂ ŶĚƌĠ ZŝĞƵ ĐŽŶĐĞƌƚ ƚŝĐŬĞƚ ;ĐĂƚĞŐŽƌǇ ϯ ƚŝĐŬĞƚ ƵƉƉĞƌ ƚŝĞƌ ƐŝĚĞ Žƌ ƌĞĂƌ ǀŝĞǁ

tŝŶĞ ĐĞůůĂƌ ƚŽƵƌ ǁŝŶĞ ƚĂƐƚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ůƵŶĐŚ in Rust ŽĂƚ ĐƌƵŝƐĞ ŽŶ >ĂŬĞ EĞƵƐŝĞĚů ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŽĨ Ă dŽƵƌ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ ŝŶ ƵƐƚƌŝĂ ^ŝŶŐůĞ ƐƵƉƉůĞŵĞŶƚ άϮϰϬ

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>/dd> dZ /E^ of the Dolomites dŚĞ ƐĐĞŶŝĐ ŽůŽŵŝƚĞƐ ŝŶ ŶŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ /ƚĂůǇ ĂƌĞ Ă ƐƚƌŝŬŝŶŐ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶ ƌĂŶŐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƌŝŐŚƚůǇ ŚŽůĚƐ ƚŚĞ ƚŝƚůĞ ŽĨ Ă hE ^ K tŽƌůĚ ,ĞƌŝƚĂŐĞ ^ŝƚĞ tŝƚŚ ƐƚƵŶŶŝŶŐ ǀŝĞǁƐ ĂŶĚ ƉůĞŶƚǇ ŽĨ ĨƌĞƐŚ Ăŝƌ ŝƚ Ɛ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ƉůĂĐĞ ƚŽ ƌĞůĂǆ ĂŶĚ ĞǆƉůŽƌĞ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ĚŽ ƐŽ ŝŶ ƐƚǇůĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ǀĂƌŝĞƚǇ ŽĨ scenic train rides that offer the chance to ƐĞĞ ƚŚŝƐ ďĞĂƵƚŝĨƵů ƌĞŐŝŽŶ Ăƚ Ă ůĞŝƐƵƌĞůǇ ƉĂĐĞ dŚŝŶŬ ƐŚĞĞƌ ĐůŝĨĨƐ ĂŶĚ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ƉĞĂŬƐ ĐŽŵďŝŶĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ůƵƐĐŝŽƵƐ ǀĂůůĞǇƐ ĂŶĚ ƚƌĂŶƋƵŝů ůĂŬĞƐ ʹ Ă ǁŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů ǁĂǇ ƚŽ ƵŶǁŝŶĚ

zŽƵƌ ďƌĞĂŬ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ

ZĞƚƵƌŶ ĐŽĂĐŚ ƚƌĂǀĞůΎ ĂŶĚ ĨĞƌƌǇ ĐƌŽƐƐŝŶŐƐ &ŝƌƐƚ ĂŶĚ ůĂƐƚ ŶŝŐŚƚ ŽŶ Ă ďĞĚ ĂŶĚ ďƌĞĂŬĨĂƐƚ ďĂƐŝƐ ŝŶ &ƌĂŶĐĞ ;ůĂƐƚ ŶŝŐŚƚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ůŝŐŚƚ ĞǀĞŶŝŶŐ ŵĞĂů

ϳ ŶŝŐŚƚƐ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ϯ ƐƚĂƌ DŝƌĂůĂŐŽ ,ŽƚĞů DŽůǀĞŶŽ ǁŝƚŚ ĚŝŶŶĞƌ Θ ďƌĞĂŬĨĂƐƚ Wine and water with dinner at the DŝƌĂůĂŐŽ ,ŽƚĞů ǆĐƵƌƐŝŽŶƐ ƚŽ ŽůǌĂŶŽ ^ĂŶ ŶƚŽŶŝŽ DĞǌǌŽĐŽƌŽŶĂ ĂůĚĞƐ ůĞƐ Θ >ĂŬĞ 'ĂƌĚĂ

>> h^ KE 03332 342 507 KZ s/^/d JUSTGOHOLIDAYS.COM/PMU

'ƵŝĚĞĚ ǁĂůŬŝŶŐ ƚŽƵƌ ŽĨ ŽůǌĂŶŽ ĂďůĞ ĐĂƌ ƌŝĚĞ ĨƌŽŵ ŽůǌĂŶŽ ƚŽ ^ŽƉƌĂďŽůǌĂŶŽ dƌĂŝŶ ũŽƵƌŶĞǇƐ ĨƌŽŵ ^ŽƉƌĂďŽůǌĂŶŽ ƚŽ ŽůůĂůďŽ ĂŶĚ DĞǌǌŽůŽŵďĂƌĚŽ ƚŽ ĂůĚĞƐ sŝƐŝƚƐ ƚŽ ^ĂŶ ŶƚŽŶŝŽ ĂůĚĞƐ ĂƐƚůĞ Θ ƐƐĞƐƐŽƌŝůĞ WĂůĂĐĞ ZĂĐŬ ƌĂŝůǁĂǇ ĨƌŽŵ ^ĂŶ ŶƚŽŶŝŽ ƚŽ WĂƐƐŽ ĚĞůůĂ DĞŶĚŽůĂ 'ƵŝĚĞĚ ǀŝƐŝƚ ĂŶĚ ǁŝŶĞ ƚĂƐƚŝŶŐ Ăƚ Ă ǁŝŶĞƌǇ ŝŶ DĞǌǌŽĐŽƌŽŶĂ ƌƵŝƐĞ ŽŶ >ĂŬĞ 'ĂƌĚĂ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƐƚŽƉ ŝŶ >ŝŵŽŶĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŽĨ Ă ůŽĐĂů ŐƵŝĚĞ ŽŶ selected excursions Optional excursion to Trento with guided tour (£12pp) ^ŝŶŐůĞ ƐƵƉƉůĞŵĞŶƚ άϯϲϬ

QUOTE PMU

ΎZĞƚƵƌŶ ĐŽĂĐŚ ƚƌĂǀĞů ĨƌŽŵ ĂŶ ĞǆƚĞŶƐŝǀĞ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬ ŽĨ ƉŝĐŬ ƵƉ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ŝŶ ŶŐůĂŶĚ Θ tĂůĞƐ WŝĐŬ ƵƉ ƉŽŝŶƚ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ ǀĂƌǇ ĂŶĚ ĂƌĞ ƐƵďũĞĐƚ ƚŽ ĚĞƉĂƌƚƵƌĞ ĚĂƚĞ KƉĞƌĂƚĞĚ ďǇ :ƵƐƚ 'Ž ,ŽůŝĚĂǇƐ >ƚĚ ŽĂĐŚ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞ ŚŽůŝĚĂǇƐ ĂŶĚ ƐŚŽƌƚ ďƌĞĂŬƐ ĂƌĞ ƐƵďũĞĐƚ ƚŽ :ƵƐƚ 'Ž ,ŽůŝĚĂǇƐ ƚĞƌŵƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ĂƌĞ ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůůǇ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚĞĚ ďǇ Ă ďŽŶĚ ŚĞůĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŽŶĚĞĚ ŽĂĐŚ ,ŽůŝĚĂǇƐ 'ƌŽƵƉ ; , dŽƵƌƐ ŽīĞƌĞĚ ƐƵďũĞĐƚ ƚŽ ĂǀĂŝůĂďŝůŝƚǇ ƌƌŽƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐ ĞǆĐĞƉƚĞĚ WƌŝĐĞƐ ĂƌĞ ƉĞƌ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ ďĂƐĞĚ ŽŶ ƚǁŽ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƐŚĂƌŝŶŐ Ă Ěďů ƚǁŝŶ ƌŽŽŵ ^ŝŶŐůĞ ƐƵƉƉůĞŵĞŶƚƐ ĂƉƉůǇ ĂůůƐ ƚŽ Ϭϯϯ ŶƵŵďĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĨƌĞĞ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ŝŶĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ŵŝŶƵƚĞƐ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ŽƚŚĞƌǁŝƐĞ ƐƚĂŶĚĂƌĚ ƌĂƚĞƐ ĂƉƉůǇ WůĞĂƐĞ ƐĞĞ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ Žƌ ĐĂůů ĨŽƌ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ĚĞƚĂŝůƐ

He arrived 15 weeks early

HELLO ! D L R WO s a n o d e h tc a w , th u o sm rt o P m o fr 1, 2 Lauren Houghton, … fe li is h r fo t h g u fo y b a b re tu a m her pre the way.

WORDS BY ROSIE CRASS AND HARRIET ROSE-GALE PHOTOS: SWNS

s the sonographer began to run the ultrasound across my tummy, I looked to my boyfriend and smiled. ‘How have you been feeling?’ the sonographer asked. ‘Apart from a little bit of morning sickness, I’ve been fine,’ I explained. I was just 12 weeks pregnant and the pregnancy had come as a shock to both me and my boyfriend, Brad, 21. We’d been together for just over two years and neither of us had planned to have a baby quite so soon. But after the shock subsided, we were both thrilled and I couldn’t wait to be a mum. ‘Let’s not find out what we’re having,’ I said to Brad. ‘It’ll be nice to have a surprise,’ he agreed. Only as the weeks went on, I still hadn’t felt the baby move 20

or kick inside me. I was getting concerned, but felt reassured when doctors explained that I had an anterior placenta. It meant my placenta was attached to the front wall of my uterus, between the baby and my tummy. It wasn’t anything to worry about and was why I still hadn’t felt the baby move. Just to be on the safe side I had another scan at my 25 week appointment. Only this time, the midwife started to look concerned. ‘The baby looks a little small,’ she said. ‘I’ll get the doctor to take another look.’ But when the doctor arrived, things went from bad to worse. ‘I think the baby could be here tonight,’ she explained. ‘I’m only 25 weeks!’ I cried My baby wasn’t ready yet. ‘Don’t panic,’ she tried to

reassure me. ‘The baby’s not in any distress at the moment but we’ll need to monitor you closely for a little while.’ As I made my way down to the labour ward, I tried my best to stay calm. Doctors kept a close eye on me and after three days, they realised that the baby was on

Our boy was tiny

‘You’re going to need an emergency c-section,’ the doctor explained. Because of all the complications, I had to be put under anaesthetic which meant I missed the birth entirely. Coming around in the recovery room, I looked up

Over the moon

INCREDIBLE REAL LIFE

T I A W E H T H WORT

and saw Brad. ‘What did we have?’ I mumbled, barely able to keep my eyes open. ‘A boy!’ he beamed. I was over the moon. Brad told me that our little boy, Mason, arrived safely and had been rushed off to the hospitals Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It meant that Brad still hadn’t been able to see Mason yet, either. ‘Go and meet him,’ I encouraged. ‘Are you sure?’

By his side

Brad asked. ‘I thought you’d want me to wait and go together.’ ‘Just go,’ I smiled. Besides, I still wasn’t in any fit state to meet our little boy just yet. Thankfully, the following day I was feeling much better and was finally able to make my way down to the NICU. Covered in wires and hooked up to monitors and machines, our little boy lay in his incubator. At 1lb 1oz, Mason was tiny. ‘He’s so little,’ I cried. Nothing could have prepared me for just how small he was. It was incredibly scary, but the nurses put me at ease. As I looked at little Mason, they explained everything. He had chronic lung disease and had to be hooked up to a ventilator to help him breath. All I wanted to do was hold him in my arms, but it was too risky. I was heartbroken, but I knew it was for the best. After I was discharged from hospital, I went back to the NICU every day to be with Mason, and I barely left his side. He was still incredibly

poorly and was suffering from bowel problems, too. Thankfully, after five weeks on the ventilator, Mason was well enough to come off it. It meant I was finally able to hold him. The nurses gently passed him to me, and I finally got to have the cuddle I’d been waiting for. Cradling him in my arms, I was overwhelmed with so many emotions. ‘Hello little man,’ I beamed, as Mason slept soundly. But he still wasn’t out of the woods yet. Mason was still very little and vulnerable, and doctors needed to monitor him closely before he could come home. There were ups and downs and Mason still had to be on oxygen to help him breathe, but he was finally getting stronger. After three months in hospital, Mason was nearly ready to be discharged. Before we took him home, we were given the opportunity to stay at the hospital with him for two nights. It meant the nurses

I couldn’t believe how small he was

could show us how to do things for Mason, like change his oxygen. We could be fully independent but ask for help from the nurses when we needed it. It meant that when it was time to take Mason home, we were both feeling much more confident and we were so grateful for that time. ‘Welcome home little man,’ I smiled, as I carried Mason through the front door. He was still so little - the smallest baby grows I could find were still too big on him. But we were just so glad to have him home. That afternoon, both mine and Brad’s family came over for cuddles. Barely anyone had a chance to hold him in hospital, so it was lovely to watch his grandparents finally get the opportunity. Since being home, Mason’s gone from strength to strength. After three months, he was able to come off the oxygen and doctors don’t think there will be any need for him to go back on it. Mason’s eight months old now and doing really well. He’s a little behind other babies his own age, but he’s starting to eat solid food and is even beginning to babble. We’re just so grateful for the incredible staff at the NICU unit at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham. They were amazing and made a tough time so much easier for us all. I don’t know what we would have done without them. It was a long 109 days in hospital for Mason, but my boy is a little fighter!

2021 Cruises

New season just released! Norwegian Fjords | British Isles | Baltic Cities | Worldwide Book your 2021 cruise today! We’re oﬀering tremendous value Buy-One-Get-One-Free* savings on our newly launched sailings, for a limited time only. These savings are available on board a choice of four elegant cruise ships and include newly launched itineraries on departures throughout 2021. These great value prices make it so much easier to join us for the cruise you’ve always wanted to take, enjoy a longer voyage south to the sun, or treat yourself to a higher category cabin, or of course, use the saving to spend on board or ashore!

Sailing from Tilbury Sails 28 May 2021 31 May 2021 13 Jun 2021 20 Jun 2021 22 Jul 2021 12 Jul 2021 4 Sep 2021 9 Oct 2021 10 Nov 2021 29 Jun 2021 29 May 2021 5 Jun 2021 5 Jun 2021 29 Jun 2021 30 Sep 2021 7 Oct 2021 22 Oct 2021 1 Apr 2021 1 Apr 2021 1 Apr 2021

Days Cruise Title 4

Weekend Whitsun Bank Holiday

Iceland & Faroes

8 23 17 11

South Norway Discovery & Viking Experience Arctic Voyage Greenland & Iceland Experience North Cape, Spitzbergen & Land of the Midnight Sun Grand British Isles Discovery

Ship Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson Amy Johnson

1st person from

£459

2nd person

FREE

£2,099 FREE £1,139

FREE

£3,559 FREE £2,589 FREE £1,689

FREE

£5,159

FREE

Grand Canada, Greenland, Iceland & Northern Lights Grand Black Sea & Mediterranean Best of the West Indies Winter Escape Iceland & Baltic Cities & St Petersburg Experience

Columbus £3,949

FREE

Majestic Fjordland

Columbus

£1,139

FREE

Baltic Cities & St Petersburg

Columbus £2,269

FREE

Grand Baltic, Round Britain & Iceland Experience

Columbus £5,369

FREE

Iceland & Northern Isles

Columbus £2,029

FREE

Autumn Fjordland

Columbus

FREE

Canary Islands & Madeira

Columbus £2,269

FREE

Norway - Land of the Northern Lights

Columbus

£2,219

FREE

Springtime Gardens & Charms^ Magellan

£1,119

FREE

36 33 37 27

£4,479 FREE £4,389 FREE

Sailing from Bristol Sails 5 Jan 2021 19 Aug 2021 3 Oct 2021 18 Sep 2021 16 Oct 2021 26 Jul 2021 3 Aug 2021 3 Aug 2021 12 Aug 2021

11 8

British Isles Cruise & Aintree Grand National^ British Isles Horse Racing Theme^

Magellan

£1,449

FREE

Magellan

£1,119

FREE

43 7

Amazon, Cape Verde, West Indies & Azores River Seine & Bournemouth Air Show^

Ship

Marco Polo £5,999 FREE Marco Polo £969

25 Jul 2021 5 Aug 2021 16 Aug 2021 24 Aug 2021 1 Sep 2021

Spain, Portugal & Morocco

Magellan

Azores, Madeira & Portuguese Highlights

Magellan £2,269 FREE

Iceland & Land of the Northern Lights

Magellan

Faroes & Scottish Isles

Marco Polo £1,299

FREE

Fjordland

Marco Polo £1,529

FREE

Fjordland & Round Ireland

Marco Polo

FREE

Round Ireland

Marco Polo £1,189

Days Cruise Title

Sails

£1,969 FREE

£1,899 FREE

£179

FREE

Ship

1st person 2nd from person

Iceland & Faroes

Magellan

£1,869 FREE

Spain, Portugal & Morocco

Magellan

£1,789 FREE

Summertime Fjordland

Magellan

£1,299 FREE

River Seine & Rotterdam Experience

Magellan

£1,359 FREE

Canary Islands & Madeira

Magellan £2,529 FREE

Sailing from Hull 2 May 2021 8 May 2021

FREE

Sailing from Liverpool Sails

£1,119

Days Cruise Title

1st person 2nd from person

Days Cruise Title

Ship

1st person 2nd from person

Marco Polo £969

FREE

Southern Norway & Oslo

Baltic Treasures & St Petersburg Marco Polo £2,269 FREE

Visit pmu.newmarketholidays.co.uk or call 0330 160 7988 quoting code PMU Prices above are per person sharing the lowest twin cabin available. A selection of cabin types is available at ranging prices. All prices and cabins are extremely limited & may be withdrawn without notice, please call us or see our website for latest availability and pricing. Single supplements apply. Standard phone charge sapply. Fares exclude gratuities. On-board prices in sterling. Payment of on-board accounts by card only. Offers operated by Newmarket Holidays Ltd ABTA V7812, a company wholly independent of Pick Me Up published by TI Media nǣȅǣ ƺƳِ‫ ¨ژ‬ǣƬƺ ƬȒ ƺƬ Ə ǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ǕȒǣȇǕ Ȓ ƺ Ȓȇ ‫ ن ِ א א ו‬ȒȒ ƫɵ ‫ ِ א א ב ב‬³ɖƫǴƺƬ Ȓ ƏɮƏǣǼƏƫǣǼǣ ɵ " ȅƏɵ ƫƺ ɯǣ ǝƳ Əɯȇ Əȇɵ ǣȅƺِ ƺ Ȓȇ Əɵ ǝƺ ǣƬƺ ǝȒɯȇً ‫א‬ȇƳ ƺ Ȓȇ ƏɮƺǼ ǔ ƺƺِ ¨ ȒȅȒ ƬȒƳƺ‫ ي‬n Èz!RáXz0ِ àǣ ǣ ȇƺɯȅƏ ƺ ǝȒǼǣƳƏɵ ِƬȒِɖ Ȓǔǔƺ ) ƺ ȅ ǔȒ ǔɖǼǼ ƺ ȅ ِ *«ƺ ɖ ȇ Ȓ Ə Ƴǣǔǔƺ ƺȇ Ȓ ِ !ȒƏƬǝ ƏɮƺǼ ƫƏƬ Ȓ Ȓ ǣǕǣȇƏǼ Ȓ ƏɮƏǣǼƏƫǼƺ ǔȒ Ə ɖ Ǽƺȅƺȇ ِ

c i g a m l Anima

WORDS BY NIA DALTON PHOTOS: SWNS, @LOULOUMINIDACHSHUND, GETTY AND ALAMY ALWAYS CONSULT AN EXPERT IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON MAKING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR ANIMAL’S DIET OR ROUTINE

l! al sm d an t ea gr s re tu ea cr l al of x fi y Your weekl

Travelling with pets

lanning on jetting off but don’t want to leave your beloved pet behind? Travel experts at Taxi2airport.com sought to find the best petfriendly locations to stay in Europe. The country with the highest number of pet-friendly hotels is Italy, followed by Russia, Poland, Croatia and Spain. Looking at the number of 5-star pet-friendly hotels, France and the UK came out on top with the most luxurious stays for your furry friend. So, when you book your next holiday with your pet, try taking a trip to the land of pizza, pasta and gelato, or the land of love!

S TA WHASOME PAW TURE! C I P

This is my new naughty puppy Spartacus. He’s a labradoodle and a very naughty one at that! He’s too cute to shout at, though. Alexandra Low, Halesowen

I went for a winter walk with my husband and spotted these white swans in the water. Nadia Wiltshire, London

h muc w o H you do our y love ty? kit

Cat subscription box, £31.95 every month, cattitudebox.com Proud to be a clawsome cat lover? Indulge in the best cat gift box stuffed with the finest quality, most unique and quirky cat-themed treats for you and your puss. Join the crazy cat lady movement. It’s meow-vellous!

Insta love

@loulouminidachshund Follow the adventures of Loulou and friends. Born in the Netherlands in 2017, Loulou is the sweetest Dachshund you ever did see. And best of all, she’s just given birth to a litter of puppies! Scroll for puppy love!

Meet our four-month-old kitten Luna. She’s mischievous but loves a cuddle! Jason Booth, Derby

Here is Fergus on his best behaviour! Love him. Lou Lane, Hertfordshire 23

WORDS BY NIA DALTON PHOTOS: SWNS

witching the television on, I tuned in to watch my all-time favourite programme America’s Next Top Model. Watching the slim models walk the catwalk, I aspired to look as thin and lean as them. It was 2010 and I was in my 20s, obsessed with my weight and figure. And it wasn’t just America’s Next Top Model that fuelled my unhealthy eating habits. I was an avid watcher of Supersize Vs Superskinny, too. Always so fascinated at the amount of food they ate. I’ve got to follow that diet, I

thought, examining the underweight contestants. ‘Have you eaten enough today?’ my boyfriend, Nigel asked every evening. ‘Yeah, I ate loads earlier at work,’ I lied. At work, when they asked the same question, I promised that I’d eaten lots at home. It was a constant cycle of lies. Counting my food intake in a little book, I aimed to stay under 600 calories a day. Sipping an energy drink for breakfast, eating a bowl of veg for lunch and savouring a chocolate bar for dinner – I managed to stick at it. ‘I’m worried about you,’ Nigel would say repetitively. But his concerns just angered me. Why does he keep asking me? I’d stress. ‘Just let me eat what I want!’ I shouted at him. Taking my frustrations to Facebook, I posted a status: Eurgh food, you’re my worst enemy! Hate you! ‘Should we get a takeaway?’ Nigel

I restricted myself a lot

asked one weekend. The thought of a greasy Chinese made me feel sick. But trying hard to act normal, I agreed and ate as little of the takeaway as I could. The following day, I restricted my diet. I tried to make myself sick, but I physically couldn’t. The guilt made me feel ill. My relationship with food was dangerous, and yet I had no idea. I was a size 6 adult, and often fitted into children’s clothes. At 21, I felt victorious sliding into an age 13 pair of jeans and age 12 top. My unhealthy eating habits were affecting my mood. And as the months passed, my relationship with Nigel broke down. My hunger made me angry. Despite us splitting up, Nigel was still worried. ‘You don’t look well,’ he said, coming over to check on me. ‘I think you should speak to a professional,’ he suggested gently. ‘No way!’ I insisted. ‘I don’t need to!’ I was offended that he’d even suggest it. ‘Unless you’re going to try, we won’t ever work,’ he said. The ultimatum I needed. My relationship with food was standing in the way of my relationship with Nigel. ‘I promise I’ll try,’ I said. I began eating more food, and at first, I didn’t put on

One extreme to the other any weight. This is brilliant, I thought, settling into a happier relationship with Nigel. I began binge eating, indulging in all the foods that I’d missed out on. Eating takeaways excessively, I started to gain some weight. I went from not eating at all, to overeating. A complete turnaround. At the time, I didn’t think food was an issue because I was happy in my life. And when I turned 24, I was a size 16. Despite not being very overweight, it was an extreme compared to the year before when I’d fit into kids clothes. ‘I love you, no matter what your size,’ Nigel reminded me. When we married in 2014, I was the biggest I’d ever been. ‘You look beautiful,’ he said on our wedding day. Falling pregnant with our first baby, I used pregnancy as an excuse to indulge. ‘Let’s go to KFC and get spicy

I fit into an age 12 children’s t-shirt

FIGHT REAL LIFE

OD Nigel made me change my ways

hot wings!’ I said to Nigel. Pregnancy was the only real time that I ate without guilt. It felt so freeing. After giving birth to Lara, now six, I struggled to lose the baby weight. ‘Your trousers are too tight,’ my boss at the time said. ‘They’re not flattering.’ Who does she think she is? I thought angrily. Only, it took that one small comment to push me back over the edge. I was back to square one. Cutting out carbs and restricting myself, I ate like I did during my twenties. Bouncing back and forth, I yo-yo dieted for years, fluctuating between a size 10 and a size 16. Then in 2017, the girls in work suggested that I try

My healthy, happy team

workouts. BodyFit by Amy taught me how to use kettlebells in my living room. I learnt that losing weight is a gradual process. Exercise goes hand-in-hand with Food is not food, and you’ve got the enemy to have patience. Then last year, I fell pregnant with our second baby. Slimming World. I stuck to the Slimming ‘I wouldn’t lose any World plan, but stopped weight eating all that!’ I weighing myself with a bump. laughed at their massive And as soon as our son portions of pasta. Charlie was born, I got straight ‘Try it!’ they said. back into it. In my head, the only way ‘Mummy, your tummy is fat,’ to lose weight was to Lara said to me one evening. restrict myself completely. ‘You can’t say that!’ I Then when the explained to her. invitations were sent out We’ve since banned the ‘f for the Christmas party, it word’ in our house, and I’m hit me. trying my best to I won’t feel confident in a teach Lara about a dress like this, I thought. healthy lifestyle Signing myself up to and body Slimming World, I turned up confidence. to my local group class. It scares me to Weighing 13st, I wasn’t the think that she heaviest in the room. could suffer one But I definitely had a battle day like I did. to overcome with food. Cooking As my consultant talked me homemade fry-ups, through the diet plan, I was burgers and spag Bol, still in denial. I spend hours in the ‘I don’t believe it’s going to kitchen every day. work on me,’ I told her. Tucking into my treat ‘Give it a go for one week,’ she plate in the evening, I said, reassuring me. The first week, I lost 4lbs 5oz. save all my syns to enjoy Kit Kats, Mikado sticks I was in utter shock. and Rainbow Drops. ‘It actually worked!’ I Over three years, screamed gleefully. I’ve lost 3st. Sticking to the plan, the I know that I pounds dropped off. haven’t lost a I began weight training at crazy amount of home, following YouTube

weight to some, but I’ve been on a journey with food. I’ve learnt the meaning of a balanced lifestyle, and food is no-longer the enemy. Now, I record my diet in a diary – but a whole lot differently to the way I did when I was younger. I reward my body with good food, instead of punishing it by restricting or binging. If it wasn’t for Nigel, I might still be the unhappy, unhealthy girl in my twenties. And if it wasn’t for Slimming World, I may never have fallen in love with food. I hope by sharing my story, I can inspire other people battling eating disorders. There’s so much more to life, and I know that now!

zFollow Lou’s journey on Instagram @loubeckwith_my_sw_life

I don’t want Lara to be the same 25

e l y t s YWour e’ve gone dotty for polka dots this season. This timeless print is a 1920s favourite that continues to rule the fashion world. Think Marilyn Monroe, Minnie Mouse and Pretty Woman – all classics. Pair your polka dot with a monochrome look, pops of gold jewellery or style with denim. The retro print is easy to throw on, whilst looking like you’ve made a huge effort. We’re sold.

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Curve dot top, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Keyhole blouse, £28,

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Dorothy Perkins

New Look

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Midi skirt, £32, Dorothy Perkins

Slit midi dress, £32.99, M&Co

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This week...

s t o d a k Pol Khaki bikini briefs, £5, Primark

Ruffle blouse, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Khaki bikini top, £8, Primark

Top tip Buy swimwear before it’s gone!

Top tip Don’t be afraid to clash prints.

Midi skirt, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Jumpsuit, £32, Next

Shirt dress, £35, Dorothy Perkins

Jumper, £20, Dorothy Perkins

How to walk in heels

Ruffle front blouse, £28, Dorothy Perkins

COMPILED BY NIA DALTON

an’t walk in high heels? Save mistake and trip up – all of which you yourself the embarrassment with don’t want to happen. these six top tips from footwear 4. Lean back experts at PublicDesire.com… Leaning back will put more weight on 1. Heel toe the heels and not the balls of your Make a conscious effort to walk feet, hopefully eliminating any heel-to-toe, instead of toe-topain you may feel. This will heel or with a flat foot. This help to maintain a straighter looks much more natural. posture. 2. Small steps 5. Comfort is key Taking smaller steps will Don’t choose a heel which help to keep your centre of is too high for you. Consider gravity, meaning you’re less Heels, £29 opting for a block heel or likely to shift your weight onto Miss Selfridge wedge instead of a stiletto. one foot and cause a fall. 6. Inner core 3. Don’t rush Tightening your abs will help to If you find yourself speeding up, you’re improve your posture and centre of more likely to miss something, make a gravity. Heels are basically a workout! 27

K C U R ST N W O D

WORDS BY NIA DALTON AND HOLLY SAWYER PHOTOS: SWNS

Alicia Doogan, 33, from Boltong, gdoatuaghter… devastating call from her youn

idying up toys in the living room, I ran around after the excited kids. As parents of seven children, my partner David, 35, and I always had our hands full. We had Michaela, 14, Caleb, 11, Kieran, 10, DJ, nine, LeighLee, six, Havanna, one, and Charnay, six months. ‘Thanks, love,’ I smiled at Michaela, watching her clean up after her siblings. She’s always so helpful around the house. A bubbly, beautiful girl. ‘Now, you go out!’ I insisted. Waving, I watched Michaela jump on her bike to ride to her friend’s house. It was

We were so worried

Saturday 26 October 2019, and David had the evening off work for once. I carried on pottering about, and then a few minutes later my phone rang. Picking it up, panic flooded through me. ‘Mum, I’ve been knocked over but I’m okay,’ Michaela said, sounding shaky. An ambulance had been called by passers-by. Running out the front door, David went to Michaela straight away. ‘You stay here with the kids,’ he said. David reached Michaela before the ambulance did, and called me with updates from local witnesses. At 6.40pm, Michaela was crossing the road on her bike by herself. It was a zebra crossing, and one car had stopped to let

her cross. Then on the opposite side of the road, another car sped out of nowhere. The speed hit Michaela with such force that she smashed onto the windscreen and rolled off the car. The driver sped off and disappeared immediately, leaving Michaela collapsed on the side of the road. ‘There’s pieces of the car shattered across the road,’ David told me. ‘How is she?’ I cried. ‘She’s talking to me, I’m a bit worried about her leg,’ he said. As the ambulance arrived and lifted Michaela onto a stretcher, her dad went about getting witness statements from locals and collecting the leftover pieces of the car. The police didn’t turn up to investigate, so David did as much as he could. Michaela was sent to Bolton Royal Hospital straight away. I tried to contact David, but his phone battery had died. Sitting at home, I felt so worried about her. After hours had passed, I was desperate for information, so I called the hospital. ‘My daughter has just arrived, she was in a hit and run,’ I explained. ‘There’s no Michaela here,’ the receptionist replied. What does she mean? I thought. Had something

happened on the way? ‘Wait, yes I’ve found her!’ the receptionist said. ‘She is currently having a CT scan for concussion, and she will need stitches on her leg,’ she explained. Relieved, I sat at home waiting apprehensively. And four hours later, Michaela and David walked through the front door. ‘I was so worried about you!’ I said, hugging her. ‘She’s got concussion and a deep gash to her leg,’ David explained to me. Michaela was limping and clearly in a lot of pain. But we were more worried about her mental health. She couldn’t remember what had happened, and she was very shaken up. Dosing her up with painkillers, we told her to rest. ‘How could a person drive off and do that to a child?’ I said to David later that night. ‘Our poor girl,’ David said. Michaela was such a sweet natured girl, this was bound to

She smashed onto the windscreen with force

E F I L L A E R E R A M T H IG N Left for dead

EDITOR WARNI ’S NG Scarred for life

I wish I could have protected my baby girl

and they’d kept her on part-time. ‘No, sweetie, you’re not well,’ I said. ‘But I’m not ill,’ she said, struggling to understand me. ‘You’re on the mend,’ I tried to explain to her. Then days later, Michaela shouted out to me: ‘Mum, look at this!’ ‘Havanna is walking,’ she called, watching her baby sister taking wobbly steps. Confused, I explained to her: ‘Havanna took her first steps days ago.’ ‘You saw it,’ I smiled. Returning to the kitchen, I rubbed my head. Michaela was still forgetting things, and I was worried. ‘The local garage caught the

really scare her. The following morning, Michaela kept repeating herself and forgetting things. ‘You sit and rest,’ I told her. She insisted on going to school the following day. ‘I’m fine, Mum!’ she said. But it was far too soon. ‘We’re sending Michaela home,’ the school rang me. ‘She keeps crying, we don’t think she’s Sweet and kind ready to be back in the classroom.’ Michaela is not usually an emotional person, but being hit and left for dead had broken her. Spending two weeks off school, she played with her younger siblings and spent her time drawing. ‘Please can I go to work?’ Michaela asked. She’d been working at a local shop over the summer,

incident on CCTV,’ David told me one evening. Only, the picture was too fuzzy to pick up anything. We looked up the serial number of the car parts he’d collected, and found out that they belonged to a Renault Clio 2002. Giving the police the information, they promised to chase it up – but never did. We can’t believe they haven’t been in touch about it. After a fortnight, Michaela went back to school and work. Months on, she’s almost back to normal. She is less forgetful and more of her happy, confident self,

Michaela forgot her baby sister’s first steps

but still can’t remember exactly what happened. When she walks anywhere, she refuses to cross at the zebra crossings alone. Instead, she walks to the traffic lights or links arms with her friends at the crossing. ‘I’m so lucky to have you,’ I tell her, when she collects her siblings from school. Both David and I work, and it’s a blessing having Michaela around to help. I can’t imagine how we’d have coped had her injuries been worse. She is a brilliant kid, and I will never understand how a person could leave anyone for dead in the road. Let alone an innocent child.

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Y A W A RUN S S E C C SU g in n n ru a d e in jo , 5 3 r, e n rd a G e is When Lou … g n ri b ld u o w it t a h w a e id o n d a h club, she

WORDS BY HANNAH POON AND HARRIET ROSE-GALE PHOTOS: SWNS

lipping on my running gear, I headed to my first group run. As a nutritionist, I’ve always had a healthy lifestyle and I especially love running, but I’ve always done it alone. So, when a client suggested that I join him on a group run, I figured I’d give it a go. ‘It’s an early morning hill sprint, you’ll love it!’ he said. And so, heading out the door in December 2015, at the break of dawn, I was ready to get my run on in Sydney, Australia. When I got there, there was a friendly group of people who all came to introduce themselves to me. ‘Hi, I’m Wil,’ one said. He was super friendly, and he helped show me the ropes. And soon, the two of us became good friends. Going to our running club, Wooters, every week, we got to know each other well. He was divorced and had two teenage children. At the time, I was going through a divorce, so Wil, 51, was a shoulder for me to lean on as he understood how I was feeling. Then, a few months later, I jetted off to Vietnam to teach English. Looking forward to having my running partner back! Wil typed on Facebook messenger one day. And sure enough, when I returned a year 32

later, we were back running together most days. I told him all about my trip and he caught me up on everything that had been going on whilst I was away. Spending more time together, our friendship only grew, and in June 2017, we went on a lunch date, just as friends. But as we chatted away without a care in the world, I soon realised there was more to it than I originally thought. I was head over heels for Wil! ‘Do you want to do this again?’ he asked before going our separate ways. ‘I’d love to,’ I smiled – and the rest was history. We soon started dating and by the end of the month, we were an official couple. And just a few months later, as we ran through one of our favourite parks in Newcastle, just outside of Sydney, he told

me he loved me. ‘And I love you,’ I beamed. When I travelled back home to the UK that Christmas, I told my mum, Lyn, 66, how I felt about Wil. ‘He’s the one, Mum,’ I smiled to her. She was so happy for me and she couldn’t wait to meet him one day. I’ve always loved going home, but two-weeks away from Wil was too much for me. I knew then just how much I truly loved him. ‘I’m so lucky to have you,’ he smiled as we cuddled in bed when I returned. But a few weeks later, I started to feel extremely tired and my breasts were sore. Me and Wil had discussed trying for a baby, but I assumed it would take years before anything actually

I knew in my heart that it was right

We love running

So happy

happened for us. Regardless, I decided to take a pregnancy test anyway, but with just a faint line, we decided we’d need to do another one to be sure if it was positive. ‘Let’s do another one tomorrow,’ Wil smiled at me. And so, for the next two days, I continued to take tests, and the line became clearer. ‘You’re definitely pregnant,’ the doctor soon confirmed. We were ecstatic and as soon as we told Mum, she demanded to come and officially meet Wil. Although we’d only been together for seven months, I knew this was what I wanted. As much as I loved being pregnant, my first term was absolutely horrendous. I was exhausted and my nausea was even worse. For the first 15-weeks, I had to give up running entirely, which was a massive shock to the system. ‘It will be worth it in the end,’ Wil soothed when I was down one evening. And then, when I was 26-weeks gone, we travelled to Japan for a babymoon. I was feeling much better by this point, so we cycled up to the top of a hill. When

ROMANTIC REAL LIFE

Best day ever

S M A E R D Y M MAN OF we got there, I was starving, so when I saw Wil go into his rucksack, I was desperate for a KitKat chocolate bar. Only, when he pulled out a tiny box, I knew it wasn’t food. ‘Is that what I think it is?’ I asked him. And as he got down on one knee, I burst into tears. ‘Will you marry me?’ he smiled up at me. ‘Of course I will,’ I blabbed ecstatically It was the perfect proposal, but heading into my third trimester, we wouldn’t be able to plan for a while. Then, in October 2018, we welcomed our daughter Seren into the world. ‘She’s perfect,’ we cooed. Wil’s kids adored their little sister, too. And soon, we adapted to being a blended family and started planning our wedding. As this was both our second marriage, we didn’t want anything over the top. ‘We

could just elope,’ we laughed, but logistically it wouldn’t work. With both our families and the kids, we couldn’t just pick up and leave. ‘Well we need to incorporate running,’ Wil laughed, but he was right – we did. We met through running and it’s how we bond, so it had to be part of our day. In the end, we settled on incorporating our wedding with the Newcastle 5k Park Run. ‘We could have the ceremony before on the hill and then do the run,’ I said. And soon, that’s what we’d planned. And so, on 14 September 2019, I headed out the door at 7am to meet Wil at the top of the hill. I was wearing my running trainers, leggings, a short white slip dress, and my friend’s veil. It’s not like I could run in a wedding gown! ‘You look beautiful,’ Wil smiled. And I have to admit, in

We knew we had to include running

his waistcoat and bow tie, he looked handsome himself. Even if they were partnered with a pair of shorts and running sandals! In front of 60 guests – who were all wearing running gear, too – I married the man of my dreams. And then, after we said our ‘I do’s’, we skipped our first dance and headed to the starting line. ‘A massive congratulations to the happy couple!’ an officiator announced to the 622 runners before the gun went off. Most of our guests took part in the race around Thoresby Creek, but some stayed behind and looked after little Seren. Our guests were wearing tutus and fancy dress for the happy occasion. When we finished, we headed back up to the hill where I slipped into a pink jumper and enjoyed canapés with our guests. Fresh out of a run, we were all starving, and soon chowed down the bruschetta, fritters and delicious salmon sandwiches! By around midday, the wind picked up and some of our

family came back to our house to finish the celebrations. Overall, the day cost us £3,800 and it was perfect. After the wedding, as a family, we went on a three-day non-stop comedy cruise around Sydney. Now, we’re fully settled into married life and back in the routine of running. We have a running pram so we can take Seren out with us, and it’s the only way I can get her to sleep! I’ve always loved running, and now, I get to share it with the people I love most.

New routine

G G N I S A LO They seem so innocent

Are video games turning children into symptoms of video game gambling addicts? addiction: ‘Key signs include

WORDS BY NIA DALTON PHOTOS: SWNS, ALAMY AND GETTY

alling your kids down for dinner, you struggle to separate them from their games console. If you succeed without any tears or tantrums, you feel like parent of the year. Except, the battle of the game isn’t over. It’s never over. Like many parents across the world, you’re fighting a losing battle against Fortnite, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft every day. These video games are fun, entertaining and popular – at first, they seem harmless. But among the virtual football players, colourful building blocks and mystical

creatures, vulnerable children are exposed to hidden dangers. Online gaming has become an epidemic. So much so, that the World Health Organisation recently updated its guidelines to include ‘gaming disorder’ as a mental health condition. It is defined as a pattern of compulsive behaviour, where the user prioritises gaming over all other activities, despite the negative consequences it might have on their health and life. Leading UK Psychotherapist Nick Davies (www. ndhypnotherapy. com) shares the

55,000ave h childrenious a ser ng gambli in problemK the U

emotional outbursts, mood swings, spending time alone and prioritising gaming over interests they once enjoyed.’ ‘Children can often get addicted to video games because they use them as an outlet to lift their mood or escape from negative feelings. They end up forming a strong habit and dependency,’ Nick explains. The mental

health effects of being addicted to video games are worrying among children. ‘Video game addiction can cause irritability and anxiety, and depression and suicidal thoughts in severe cases,’ Nick says. To prevent these damaging consequences, it’s important that parents have open conversations and encourage gaming in moderation. Dr Amanda Gummer, founder of the Good Play Guide discusses: ‘It’s

Escapism

Anxious and lonely

GAME Loot boxes and skins the addiction is out of their hands. A group of Canadian parents recently issued a lawsuit against makers of Fortnite for allegedly making the game as It’s become addictive as cocaine and an epidemic ‘ruining children’s lives’. One horrifying case in America resulted in a woman being jailed for important that children are allowing her toddler to die of spending time being social, malnutrition whilst she spent active and imaginative.’ ‘Children need to enjoy video hours on World of Warcraft. Governments are finding games in moderation and ways to cope with the explosion spend plenty of time on other in extreme gaming addictions. activities,’ Dr Gummer says. In 2011, South Korea passed ‘I suggest involving your kids the ‘Cinderella Law’, banning in discussions about gaming, children under 16 from using so that they understand the reasons behind your concerns.’ online games between midnight and 6am. ‘It can also help to lead by In China, the technology example, because you are your firm Tencent has restricted the child’s biggest role model,’ Dr hours children can spend on its Gummer says. most popular games. Whilst parents can try to Gaming addiction is a real provide support, occasionally

problem. And one of the most dangerous habits to come of gaming addictions is compulsive gambling. Some 40% of kids aged 11 to 24 spend real money gambling on virtual items in games such as FIFA, Fortnite and Call of Duty. The nature of gaming introduces children to the thrill of gambling, and the element of chance and risk. Under the current UK legislation, ‘skins’ and ‘loot boxes’ available on video games are not classified as gambling, yet parents and officials would disagree. Skins are items which can be won or bought within a game to change the appearance of a character, avatar or weapon. Loot boxes allow players to pay – often with real money – for a chance to win a virtual item – similar to a lucky dip. A recent study by GambleAware found that 91% of kids could play loot boxes in their video games. The report blamed video games and the sports industry for a surge in the number of children who are gambling addicts, which has led to an outbreak of serious mental health problems. MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee recently suggested the sale of loot boxes should be regulated as gambling, and that selling them to kids should be

banned entirely. Whilst officials push for changes in legislation on skins and loot boxes, many young children are already affected and need help. As a response to the emerging problem, rehab centres have opened across the globe to provide professional support, such as The Edge Treatment Programme. The NHS have also opened their first specialist gambling addiction clinic. Since October 2019, young adults between the ages of 13-25 who are seriously addicted to computer games can get help from therapists, psychologists, mental health nurses, and psychiatrists. NHS chief executive Simon Stevens says; ‘The NHS should not be left to pick up the pieces – gambling and internet firms have a responsibility to their users, and should do their utmost to prevent, rather than cash in on obsessive or harmful behaviour,’ Simon says. Whilst the NHS has a duty of care, the responsibility lies with the creators of the games. We are hopeful that regulators in the UK will soon catch up and clamp down on current video game regulations. Parents should feel reassured that their kids are playing safe, ageappropriate video games – not entering the world of compulsive gambling. It’s time to say ‘game over’ to youngsters betting loot boxes and skins. zFor parental advice on safe and responsible gaming, go to internetmatters.org

More under 16s gamble than drink, smoke and take drugs

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO? nternet Matters have created a hub of advice to explain and understand the Iresponsibly world of online gaming and encourage children to game safely and online. Here are their tips to prevent your children from video game addiction: 1. BE IN THE KNOW Review what games your children are playing and how long they’re playing video games. 2. APPLY TIME LIMITS When gaming gets excessive, time limits can be a good short-term measure to reset bad habits. Restrict the time your child spends online. 3. ENCOURAGE BREAKS Take regular breaks of at least five minutes every 45-60 minutes as a rule of thumb.

4. ENJOY ACTIVITIES Play games with children and help them find a range of activities to enjoy away from video games. 5. OPEN CONVERSATIONS Discuss the dangers of video games with your children so they will understand. 6. SEEK GP SUPPORT If you are concerned about the health of your child playing excessive games, consult your local GP.

Set boundaries

Your telly

k e e w e h t Pick of ts a e tr V T e s e th s is m to t n a w ’t You definitely won

T ’ N DO ISS M The Sex Clinic, Channel 4 It’s time to get up close and personal with sexually transmitted diseases – that’s right, The Sex Clinic is back! Every four minutes, an STI is diagnosed in England alone. With this in mind, The Sex Clinic’s doors are open for a ‘full MOT’ as the show looks to break down taboos surrounding check-ups on your private parts. This series sees deeper probes into broader topics beyond STIs, exploring the UK’s shameless bedroom habits and the potential consequences that few people talk about. There’s charismatic doctors, a huge colourful waiting room, and the charming Sarah Mulindwa, who works as both presenter and nurse. Best of all, us lucky viewers have the honour of watching these ‘downstairs’ examinations from the comfort of our sofas.

Crufts, Channel 4

PHOTOS: BBC AND CHANNEL 4

The world’s greatest dog show is back this year with a fresh batch of canine antics to delight dog fans. Organised by the Kennel Club and hosted by Clare Balding, Crufts brings together some of the most meticulously bred, highly trained dogs on the planet to find out who really, truly is the best girl or boy. One of the main events is the ‘conformation show’, which pits purebred dogs against one another to see how well they conform to the expected standards of their breed. Meanwhile, other events test agility and obedience. And of course, the highest honour is the Best in Show title, which seeks out the single most impressive animal from the thousands that compete.

Ready Steady Cook, BBC One The iconic cooking show has been revamped, now featuring Rylan Clark-Neal as host, alongside exciting talent from the culinary world – Mike Reid, Romy Gill, Akis Petretzikis, Ellis Barrie, and Anna Haugh. In this new series, we see contemporary food themes, from cooking on a budget and eating healthily, to managing food waste and feeding the whole family. In each episode, two contestants are paired with a chef. Armed with a bag of ingredients, all bought within a range from £3.50 to £10, they have just 20 minutes to create delicious, surprising and inspiring dishes. In true Ready Steady tradition, the casting vote is left to the audience – will it be the red tomato or the green pepper?

NETFLIX AMAZON, AMAZON iPLAYER and more… more Now with 5-page weeklyy guide to NETFLIX, 36

Tigers: Hunting the Traffickers, BBC Two Around 96% of the world’s tigers have disappeared since the year 2000. With fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild, this poignant programme highlights the plight of this majestic species. Working alongside wildlife crime investigators and covertly filming tiger traffickers, Royal Marines Commando Aldo Kane embarks on a perilous journey along trafficking routes through Malaysia, China, Thailand and Vietnam. From tiger wine breweries in China to backyard holdings in Vietnam, the show uncovers shocking evidence of demand for tiger parts that threatens to wipe out the species. Armed with footage, Aldo travels to Geneva to ask the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species to help.

GET YOUR PASSPORT READY

e love using our zodiac sign to predict many things such as our preferred perfume scent and who we are most compatible with. But have you ever used it to pick where you should travel to next? With over 21,000 people searching where to go on average per month globally, online reservation and booking system for airport transfers Taxi2Airport.com decided to find out where you should be travelling based on your zodiac sign.

ARIES Thailand – Island hopping

TAURUS Paris – Shopping spree

GEMINI Bali – Retreat

Catchpoint, BBC One All new Catchpoint is back! Join Paddy McGuinness for the show with the biggest balls on telly, where fast thinking and quick reflexes will lead to a cash prize – so long as players don’t drop the ball. Starting from 29 February, the family-friendly game show returns with all new questions, new players, and some exciting new rounds. This time, lucky players get the chance to double their winnings, or lose everything. The fun kicks off with two episodes for Sport Relief, featuring celebrity guests raising money to help tackle domestic abuse, mental health, homelessness, and child poverty, both in the UK and around the world.

CANCER Cuba – Culture soak up

LEO New York – Luxury break

VIRGO London – Tailor made

LIBRA Amsterdam – City break

SCORPIO Kyoto – Relaxation and restoration

SAGITTARIUS Tokyo – Solo travel

In this exciting new series, we get to meet the heroes whose selfless acts are the difference between life and death, where incredible stories of bravery are captured on mobile phones, CCTV, and dash-cams. In the first episode, CCTV footage captures the moment two boys are rescued from a rising tide under the Blackpool Central Pier. After being swept into the sea, a quickthinking stranger risks his own life to save them. More dramatic rescues include a teenager falling from a waterfall and a tanker crew saving two men from shark infested waters.

STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

Saved on Camera, BBC One

CAPRICORN Costa Rica – Backpacking

AQUARIUS India – Volunteering

PISCES Aruba – Beach bum 37

Genius or

JUST FOR

Eric the memo elephant, £14.95, luckies.co.uk Eric is not your average elephant! This handy ceramic message board helps you keep track of those things you always forget.

4 2

Verdict:

GENIUS!

4 16

Make your own neon sign, £14.99, Prezzybox.com Twist this neon string light into any shape or word of your choice! A brilliant gift for anyone.

9 6

25 4

3 3

3 6

13 2

13 4

24 23

3 20

17 8

ANSWER 23

The light of your life!

GENIUS!

Verdict:

2 24

22 20

20 2

3 20

15 15

shrinking feeling.

Work out which letter each number represents. When you’ve filled the grid, put the correct letters into the answer boxes at the bottom to spell out a word. We’ve given you four to start you off. Answer on page 47.

23 8

Your new desk friend!

Mini me, £19.99, Firebox.com Shrink yourself, or anyone else! With six adorable costumes to choose from, you can Verdict: gift a smaller, cuddlier BONKERS! version of yourself. Get that

Crack it!

FUN

TOTALLY BONKERS?

15 1

elebrity hair stylist Phil Smith (www.smithenglandhair.co.uk) is here to help you to achieve the trendiest hairstyles of the moment.

THE BLUNT CUT A mid length, blunt cut is proving popular with celebrities on the red carpet, so of course it’s what we’re being asked for in salons, too. This look is especially striking when hair is naturally thick as the sharp finish enhances this. The mid length keeps hair in great condition and having it one length gives a sleek, chic finish. A sharp end result is what sets this look off, so I’d recommend checking in with your hairdresser every six weeks to keep those ends clean and precise. z Use: Phil Smith Be Gorgeous Glam Shine Gloss Finishing Spray for added shine – £2.50, Sainsbury’s

THE MODERN SHAG This 70’s inspired rock and roll, cool girl cut has proved popular for the last few years. Think lots of choppy layers around the crown and a textured fringe. In 2020, we’re seeing this adapt into a more commercial, easy to wear style with a softer take. Layers are more feminine and blended like a classic Alexa Chung cut. For a less dramatic take, ask for the cut without a fringe or bangs, this will instantly bring it down a notch. z Use: Phil Smith Be Gorgeous Volume Boosting Mousse to add volume – £4, Sainsbury’s

New products

WORDS BY HANNAH POON STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

L’Oréal Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum, £8, Boots. 62% of women are straightening or smoothing their hair in the hopes of tackling frizz. But with all that heat comes damage. To combat this, L’Oréal have released this new serum, delivering 24-hour frizz control. Enriched with vegetal keratin to smooth the hair’s surface and cocoa butter to provide flexibility and elasticity to the hair fibres. Giving you up to 230˚C heat protection, this serum will soften and detangle your locks. Can be used on damp hair before drying or on dry hair to tame frizz and static.

Herbal Essences bio:renew Hair Oil Blends, £6, Boots. This trio of nourishing oils are the brand’s first ever oil treatments, which join the line of shampoo, conditioners and hair masks in the bio:renew range. The oils work by helping to lubricate the outer cuticle and strengthen the inner core of the hair, leaving locks hydrated and strong! With three bespoke formulas, they offer a solution for whatever your hair needs. Choose from Hemp Seed Oil & Aloe to control frizz, Argan Oil & Aloe to help repair damaged locks or Coconut & Aloe.

ROOT SHADOW As it’s become increasingly popular for people to embrace their natural hair colour, we’ve seen a decrease in full head and overall colouring for those going lighter. Instead the ‘Root Shadow’ is taking over for those who want something that feels a little less high maintenance and has a more effortless vibe. The key to a good root shadow is the blend. Involving a painting technique, it allows the stylist to create a completely unique approach to each client. Often this means the colour and blend created can be the most flattering for an individual, as it picks up on different undertones and plays on dimension rather than a more traditional colour from root to ends. z Depending on your shade, use: Bombshell Blonde Radiance, Bombshell Tone Enhancing Shampoo & Condition and Wow! Brunette for colour enhancing – £3.50, Sainsbury’s

KEEPING IT NATURAL More and more clients are looking to go back to their roots with a more natural hair colour, and a lot of the time they want to take it right back to what they started out with! To rock hair au natural, it’s all about the cut and condition, so don’t forget to make regular visits to your stylist. Don’t be scared to ask your stylist to add some really fine baby lights to natural hair to help lift and celebrate your colour. z Use: Cocolicious Coconut Water Shampoo & Leave in Conditioner for hydration – £3.50, Sainsbury’s

Hair growth REGROWZ THE HEALTHY HAIR COMPANY

Are y worrieou about d h loss? air

Regrowz is a UK based company specialising in hair loss products and hair restorations. Established in 2016, Regrowz only uses natural products and all ingredients used are cruelty-free. Products are both available for men and women, helping with problem areas within their hair such as hair thinning, baldness and any hair loss. Regrowz recipe contains 34 natural ingredients of herbs, fruit, flowers and plant extracts to help combat hair loss. Ingredients included are Beeswax and coconut oil. It’s claimed that combined in a serum, they can fight hair loss and improve overall thickness. Regrowz products also contains DHT blockers, which can apparently stop and prevent future hair loss for users. Regrowz Hair Regrowth treatment contains: 1. Scalp Stimulant 2. Restoration Serum The treatment helps tackle hair loss and have hair growing back thicker. z 3 months supply – £49.95 z 6 months supply – £69.95 www.regrowz.com

Do you need beauty advice? Write to hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk and we’ll try and help!

While we try to ensure all recipes work, we cannot take responsibility for their success. STOCK IMAGES: GETTY

. . . s t a e Easy A

study conducted by Princes has shown that the average family dinner takes 41 minutes to prepare but is eaten in just half that time! Celebrity chef, Miguel Barclay, has partnered up with Princes, and created some delicious recipes that are ready in under 20 minutes. Serves: 4

t a e Trf the o k e e w

Mexican corned beef hash

1 x 340g can of Princes Corned Beef, roughly cubed 500g large potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 tsp ground cumin 1 large red pepper, cored and roughly cubed 1 large green pepper, cored and roughly cubed 4 large eggs a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved a handful of chopped coriander Splash of olive oil Salt & pepper

Grab a large frying pan and pan fry the potatoes over a medium heat in a splash of olive oil for about 10 to 12 minutes until softened and tender. Season with salt, pepper and cumin then add the corned beef separated into large chunks along with the peppers. Continue to pan fry for about 5 minutes. Use a spoon to make four hollows in the mix, then crack an egg into each. Continue to cook until the egg whites are cooked but the yolk is still runny (you can use a lid to speed this up). Serve garnished with halved cherry tomatoes and a scattering of coriander for a Mexican twist.

4 5

For more inspiration visit www.princes.co.uk 40

Apple & cinnamon turnovers Serves: 4

1 x 395g can of Princes Apple Fruit Filling 1 320g sheet of shop bought, ready rolled puff pastry 4 pinches of cinnamon 1 tbsp honey a sprinkle of granulated sugar

Simp recip le that es fami your ly wi love! ll

Pre-heat your oven to 190Â°c. Cut the pastry into 4 equal squares and spoon a quarter of the filling into the middle of each piece of puff pastry along with a pinch of cinnamon. Brush the edges with water, then fold each square in half to encase the filling in a triangle and push the edges down to seal. Brush each turnover with honey and sprinkle some sugar on top then make 3 slits in the top. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown then serve warm or cold. Delicious with custard!

2 3 4

Smoky mackerel taco bowl Makes: 4

2 x 125g can of Princes Mackerel Fillets Spicy Smoked Salsa flavour 4 wholemeal tortillas 1 mug of basmati rice 2 mugs of water 400g kidney beans, drained 4 spring onions

Push the tortillas into a 20cm 1 round cake tin to hold the tortilla in bowl shape, then bake for 10 minutes at 190Â°c. Remove from the oven and let them cool to create a crispy bowl-shaped tortilla bowl. Next add the rice along with 2 mugs of water to a saucepan with a lid and cook over a medium heat for about 7 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Meanwhile, pan fry the kidney beans and spring onions in a splash of olive oil for a couple of

2 3

1 tsp cumin 2 large tomatoes 1 handful of chopped coriander 400g sweetcorn salt & pepper olive oil limes and coriander to serve minutes, along with 1 teaspoon of cumin until the skins start to split. Season and remove from the pan. To make the salsa, chop the tomatoes and mix with a handful of chopped coriander, salt, pepper and a splash of olive oil. To assemble the bowl, add the cooked rice to the bottom of each bowl, then top with kidney beans, sweetcorn, tomato salsa and Princes Mackerel Fillets.

4 5

Peach breakfast stacker Serves: 1

1 x 220g can of Princes Peach Slices with Juice 6 tbsp of 2% low fat Greek yogurt 4 tbsp low sugar granola

the peach slices, save two for the top, 1Drain roughly chop the rest. Grab a glass or jar with a lid and start by 2adding a layer of granola at the base. Top with peaches, then yogurt, then repeat 3once more. with the 2 peach slices and a final 4Top sprinkle of granola and serve. Can be made the night before and stored in 5the fridge ready to grab in the morning. Perfect for on the go!

After two years as a single mum, Ingrid Lyne took a chance on finding love…

WORDS BY GAIL SHORTLAND IMAGES: GETTY, FACEBOOK, GO FUND ME AND MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

ith her nursing job and three young daughters to look after, single mum Ingrid Lyne had been too busy to have a relationship. Then, two years after divorcing her ex-husband, Ingrid had decided she wanted to find love again, so signed up to internet dating. Friends encouraged her – Ingrid was a sensitive and caring person, and she certainly deserved happiness. But the man she had come across online was far from a perfect match. Brunette Ingrid, 40, may have been petite, but she had a larger than life personality. She was funny and spirited, and popular at the Swedish Medical Center where she worked in Seattle. In 2016, Ingrid met John Charlton online. But John wasn’t the type of man Ingrid’s friends and family wanted for her. He was a homeless labourer, either sleeping in shelters, on the street or at an ex-girlfriend’s house. John also had a drinking problem and a criminal record that spanned across six states. He had convictions for aggravated robbery, theft, larceny and assault. Even his parents had applied for a protection order against him. He’d scared them by taking the serial killer film Hannibal off a shelf and then telling

DEA MAT

them to ‘beware’. How much Ingrid really knew about John, or his past, isn’t clear. Perhaps she sympathised with his situation, or maybe she was clueless about the threat he posed. On April 8 2016, when Ingrid and John had been dating for just over a month, Ingrid’s three daughters, aged 10, eight and six, went to stay with their dad, Phil Lyne. John took Ingrid out on a date to watch a Mariners baseball game and afterwards they went to a bar. The next day, Phil went to Ingrid’s home in Renton, Washington, to drop off their daughters, but her car wasn’t in the driveway and there was no sign of her. Phil called Ingrid’s mum, Jorga Bass, and together they went inside the quiet house. They found her wallet, mobile and personal belongings – things Ingrid wouldn’t have left behind. She certainly wouldn’t have missed the return of her children unless She was loved by all something was wrong. A concerned Jorga called 911 and reported What’s going on? We went to her missing. the Mariners game last night, Jorga and her daughter but we didn’t stay the night shared a phone account and together because she has her when she logged in, she could kids today.’ see Ingrid had made lots of Desperate friends and family calls to a certain number. took to social media and She sent a text to the number, asking contacted newspapers to try and raise awareness for the if they had any missing mother. information The police suspected John about Ingrid’s may have played a part in disappearance. Ingrid’s disappearance, and The quick everyone hoped they could get reply said: ‘Hi, to her in time. my name is John was questioned and he John, I thought she was with her admitted going to the baseball game and even said he’d been kids today?’ back to Ingrid’s house. Jorga replied But he insisted he’d woken asking for more up the next day on the streets in information and downtown Seattle, with facial then said she’d injuries and cuts on his body. called 911. He said he’d been so drunk John text back he had no memory of the end of again. ‘911?

She gave love another chance

The girls miss her so much 42

the night or why he was even there. Then, detectives found Ingrid’s missing Toyota Highlander close to where John had been sleeping. Police searched Ingrid’s home and made a number of disturbing discoveries. There was a 15-inch pruning saw near her bathtub along with an empty box of plastic rubbish bags. When they investigated down the plug hole and in the drains of the bath, they found blood and human tissue. What shocking event had gone on? All hope of finding Ingrid alive was fading. Just that afternoon, 10 miles from Ingrid’s home, a member of the public in Seattle discovered human body parts

ADLY TCH

alcohol problem and that he was ‘not a normal person’. He was charged with Ingrid’s murder and for stealing her car. While he was held on bail, the media discovered just what had happened to Ingrid and the community was sickened. It made headlines across the world. Then, in October 2017, John, 38, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. The plea saved Ingrid’s family from a gruesome and disturbing trial. But they were left with few answers about why he’d turned on the woman he was dating. The prosecution said he’d strangled Ingrid in the early hours of April 9 in her home. Had they got into a row? Had Ingrid tried to end things? No one knows apart from John and he refuses to talk. ‘Charlton claimed that he had been so intoxicated on Friday night that he couldn’t recall how he and Lyne returned to her residence after the Mariners game, or what transpired when they got there,’ documents stated. ‘He said he believed they had sex, and said Lyne was acting ‘weird’, but could not or would not provide details.’ John said he didn’t recall how or when he’d left Ingrid’s home. He assumed that she must have driven him to Seattle where he ended up sleeping on the sidewalk. Despite pleading guilty, John failed to reveal just what horror had occurred that fatal night in April. In January this year, John Charlton was sentenced to a minimum of 27 years and nine months in prison. The judge said it was the harshest sentence she could impose with the state’s guidelines, but she told John

No one knows why it happened

Mak ing of a MO

NSTE R

He was not to be trusted

that she would lock him up for longer if she could. ‘What you did was vicious and cruel beyond anyone’s belief,’ she said, adding that his crime was made even worse by what he’d done to her body afterwards. ‘Nothing can soften the cruelty with which you committed this awful murder.’ Ingrid’s ex-husband, Phil, who is caring for their grieving girls, said that John had stolen his daughter’s ‘devoted and compassionate’ mother. ‘There will be no more motherly advice from Ingrid,’ he said, lamenting the end of their trips to the beach and Thursday-night dinners. ‘Our daughters continue to thrive, but they miss their mother every day.’ Friends spoke of their horror at the violation of Ingrid’s body. ‘You killed her physical body,’ one said to John. ‘Not her energy, her soul or her light. Ingrid is here, represented by those who love her.’ John spoke briefly. ‘I agree there are no words that can alleviate the pain I’ve caused. For that, I’m truly sorry.’ As he was taken away to start his life in prison, his crime raised questions about the safety of internet dating. For many looking for love, the greatest risk is a broken heart. For Ingrid however, it was death.

nded e e t a d c i t n a m o r A with a sickening dismemberment in his outdoor recycling bin. A head, foot, lower leg and a hand had been wrapped in bin bags matching the ones missing from Ingrid’s home, discarded like trash. Over the next few days, more body parts were found in bins in two more locations across the city. They were quickly identified as belonging to Ingrid, although not all of her body would be found. Reports revealed that she’d

been strangled and dismembered in her own bath, before being scattered across the city of Seattle. Ingrid’s loved ones were devastated, and three young girls had lost their mum. A statement to the media from her family read: ‘This weekend, a light went out of our lives forever. Ingrid, beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend was taken from us for reasons we still cannot comprehend. Our hearts are broken and can never be fully mended.’ John was arrested. While being questioned, he told police that he had an

He was an alcoholic 43

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JUST FOR

FUN 4

Cross it! Solve the puzzle to find a word. Fit the words back in the grid and the letters in the highlighted squares spell out the answer. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put in one word to help. Answer on page 47.

3 6

5 4

8 5

KILL HER

8 6 7

6 5

W A T E R

WHAT SAVED MY GIRL WENT ON TO

Sudoku! To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle, then read down the numbers in the highlighted squares for the answer. Answer on page 47.

7 n i t i e v l So

THIS W E E K Renting a home

Improve your life in just a week!

Choose a letting agent

inding the right place to rent can be confusing, especially if it’s your first time. Experts at propertymark.co.uk are on hand you help you out…

Check your finances

ake sure you find M a responsible and 3 knowledgeable letting agent to help with your search. Seek out local recommendations and test the agent’s knowledge of the area. How many properties do they rent at the moment? How long have they been in the area?

efore you start house hunting, work out how much you can afford each month. Remember to budget for amenities like gas, electricity, water, phone and internet connections, TV licence, and council tax. Remember to put enough money aside for food, household items and any other regular outgoings.

List what’s important

raw up a list of the non-negotiables you D need from your new home. Is parking important? Do you have any pets? How many bedrooms do you need? Are you taking furniture with you? After listing the vital things, prioritise what else you’re looking for – factors such as storage, outdoor spaces and broadband connections may also be important.

View properties

ake a shortlist and view M them. While you’re there, check to see whether they’re

safe. All landlords are legally required to complete an annual gas safety check, so ask for this certificate. Look out for signs of leaks or damp, and check that any furniture is in good order.

Choose your housemates

rget o f t ' Don ck your e to ch commute daily efore! b

STOCK PHOTOS: GETTY

Find the right location

nce you’ve pinpointed an O area, check out the local transport links, especially if you have a daily commute. Work out how long your journey will take and the cost, especially if you’re relying on public transport. Get a feel for the area and find out where the supermarkets are. Ask current tenants if neighbours have caused any issues.

f you’re sharing a home, you’ll be entering into a legal agreement as a group, so it’s important that you choose people you feel will positively contribute towards a household. You may be living in the property for some time, and it’s not uncommon to disagree when sharing a space, so make sure you understand how your lifestyles will work around each other. Ask the letting agent if they’ve received good references for all tenants.

7 Know your rights

hen you move in, make sure you’re given your home’s gas safety certificate, emergency performance certificate, the government’s ‘how to rent’ guide, and most importantly, your deposit protection certificate.

This week’s puzzle answers! Fill it! pg 13 Trainers

Crack it! pg 38 Market Q U I L T U N R E X C L U S R L M Y O U P U D E S P E C T A R Y J O I N E D P I U F A L C O N G G G A M B L E N U O I D O L N A B A S

W H I P P E T

H I D V E A I L I E S T

Z Z S I N C H N H N C H O R O N S U L T H W E A P O T F R N D E R T A K E R E B L A S S U R N S T S I U T F O X I N G I R V H I C E J E C T

H E N U X A F J D T WQ S Y GM V B L I C Z R O P K

Cross it! pg 45 Premier T A I I D R E E V O M A K O E M I D E N T E A U MO N

L A E R

F U R

S K I P C M Y E R E B L E F O V E R D G E I F F C S U W A S A I L T U M E N T R E

S P H R O T F O O R B U MM A D I N S L Y

S U R E F I R E

U L I E G A E T U A R E

S P P L A I L D R O E M R O A

I N

I I S

A T H L E T I C

A J A R

J U M P S

L A N E

A C T S

S K I T

PLEASE NOTE

Pick Me Up! will still be bringing you great puzzles to pit your wits against, but will no longer be offering prizes. All puzzle entries up to and including issue 26 will be processed as normal. Don’t forget, you can do puzzles for big cash prizes every week in our sister magazine, Chat.

Check out our website!

LIFE! DEATH! PRIZES! lifedeathprizes.com

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J O H A N S S O N

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O R A O N C C I D H D U I A A M E A T E I R

A M O E D E E R N

N E E I

FUN

Number fit! pg 13 8646

P E R S I S T S

Sudoku pg 45 3,7,3

Bitesize! pg 3 Scar

R R

T A N M A R S S S I S T E R S E E E E S F I N A I T E B I T S A L B U G S G E E T E Y B Y E A R E E M O L P L A Y L E N D S I D E O

JUST F OR

Follow it! pg 8 Foliage

G S P

Strike it! pg 13 Argentina (Cross out: 4, 17, 22, 38, 46, 59, 73, 82, 85)

U Y O

P R E C I O U S N E S S

I I D E A M I P P U R E W S T L O

S T A N D T R I A L

G O O D E R Y E A O R Y

L C H E S E E N D B R I E F P I E M E N E I G N L S I O S A D L O O A U S E F T O O A N E S P L I L E G T I L L A E T I R

O W A B I K S A P L T I R O O N I C Y A D U L E D W A U N G S E X K S

V D E E A R D E L N E G P A E L R U C H I O B O I S S E

S T O Y S M E R E N O T E

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Marmite Smooth Peanut Butter, £2.50, Morrisons.

D O O F AND K N I R D Pati & Coco, £3.50 for two pots, Sainsbury’s. Unapologetically indulgent, these chocolate desserts are available in four delicious flavours – praline, ganache, pistachio and caramel.

The latest spreadable innovation from the experts at Marmite, this smooth peanut butter and Marmite combo is perfect on a crumpet, smothered on toast or if you’d rather, just straight from the jar!

Higgidy Vegan Roll (£2.60) and Aubergine & Spinach Masala (£3.90) Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.

Deep Fill Mature Cheddar Cheese & Onion Pie, £2.25, Asda.

Higgidy has created a brand-new range of deliciously vegan recipes, including their first ever vegan roll and an aubergine and spinach masala pie.

Maryland Cookies ‘n’ Cream cookies, £1.39, Asda. The nation’s favourite cookie brand has launched a brand-new flavour that’s made with a rich dark cocoa dough and creamy white chocolate chips.

Let’s

Combining the sweetness of a classic French brioche and a Mexican tortilla, the deli kitchen has created a brand-new hybrid – the brap!

FUNDRAISING FOR A GREAT CAUSE

This March sees Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal return, with charity events that spring beyond the month. The money raised enables Marie Curie to provide care to people living with a terminal illness, either at home or at the charity’s nine hospices. Visit www.mariecurie.org.uk

Liverpool Daffodil Walk Bring your family and friends along for a 4km or 8km walk, and support local people facing terminal illness. The walk will start at 10am at the Obelisk in Sefton Park, where you’ll follow the crowd of yellow T-shirts as marshals point you in the right direction. There will be food vans offering breakfast, tea and coffee, and a welldeserved ice cream when you’re done! Local radio station Radio City will also be there to get you warmed up and ready! z 29 March, £10 48

Deli Kitchen Brioche-Style Wrap, £1.35, Tesco.

Great North Swim, Lake District Surrounded by some of the nation’s most spectacular natural scenery, the Great North Swim in Lake Windermere is an inspiring outdoor feat. Register for the 1-mile swim on the Marie Curie website, and pick your day and time to dive in! There are plenty of other activities for the whole family and big screens where they can watch the action and see your big finish! z 5 to 7 June, £10

Jurassic Coast Challenge, Poole Harbour, Dorset Starting off at Poole Harbour, trek along the spectacular Jurassic Coast through Lulworth Cove, past Durdle Door, and all the way down to the Weymouth halfway point. From there it’s past Portland Bill, nature reserves, and onto West Bay’s famous cliffs (of TV’s Broadchurch) – before a welcome finish line celebration in the vibrant town of Bridport. You’ll get plenty of support along the way, leaving you to focus on raising money for a good cause! z 16 and 17 May, £1 registration fee

STOCK IMAGES: GETTY AND ALAMY

GO!

Holland’s Pies have teamed up with the cheese-making experts at Wyke Farms and created a delicious cheese and onion filled pie.

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Your home is the base for the most fun this week, and the most romance too. All you have to do is take down the barriers you have had up since last week. It’s time to be open. You’re running out of time to convince a close one, that you are not acting like a spoilt child. Double check travel and work appointments for this week to save yourself time and money.

You are making decisions without doing your research. Try to back away from those who are trying to rush you. You and I know you’re better than that. You’re building the base for the rest of your life so make it all you want it to be plus more. What you do now, will create the style of life you live for a long time to come. Make sensible and practical choices and follow your heart.

Venus makes it hard for you to tell the difference between love and lust. You’ve forgotten what is important to you, but certain signs are ready, willing and able to give you a wake up call. Choices you make now, prove whom you have moved on from and who you want to build a future with. Familiar faces see faces who should not be there. You will not feel surprised.

Try not to talk on others behalves this week. With the current line up, it is clear to me that others stories have changed. Luck in business and financial affairs also needs you to be on time and to play the ultimate professional. A broken friendship reveals many facts you were unaware of before this week began. Take in only information which comes with proof.

Call: 09058 170 710*

Call: 09058 170 711*

Call: 09058 170 712*

Call: 09058 170 713*

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Slowly but surely you are finding more secure ground with a close one. I told you all they needed was time to acclimatise. You rushing things only made others pace slower. Take this steady. The chance to work again with someone you’ve joined forces with in the past, is not what it was before. Think carefully and explore all other options. There are more out there than you know.

I see that things won’t go to plan, but this is not a bad thing. Sometimes it takes us being placed outside of our comfort zone to see what else our world has to offer. Risks will pay off. Favours you do for family make you stronger together. You’ve shown them that you’re there when it counts and they won’t forget you for it. In fact you’ve made their honours list!

You think you don’t need a plan but you are wrong. We should all have some guideline to work to. Dream big and start small. You need to know how far you are going to go before you decide that you have given enough. A more costly home life is forecast but make sure you are not paying out the whole cost, for what others should be taking responsibility for. Share the financial load, or you will have regrets.

There is no point in cutting corners this week. Don’t take shortcuts. It’s obvious from your stars that you need to do things the ‘right way’, to get back the faith you lost in close ones last year. The written word needs your attention and you would be better to sign forms and answer letters and emails on the same day. You’ll find out why sooner than you think, so be prepared.

Call: 09058 170 714*

Call: 09058 170 715*

Call: 09058 170 716*

Call: 09058 170 717*

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Why don’t you try finding out a bit more about the person who has caught your attention so dramatically already this year? To surmise that they are perfect, is just setting yourself up for a fall, isn’t it? A better home atmosphere helps you to feel more committed to all that is ahead of you this year. Set goals and achieve them. You’re becoming a grown up and you like it!

A slower pace around work issues makes it hard for you to feel you can face certain people, and that you are at some sort of disadvantage. Not at all Capricorn, this is actually your chance to shine and to sparkle. There’s no better sign to keep the morale up of those who need help. Stay positive and reach out. You’re about to find out this week, why you’re destined for such great things.

A flirtatious feel to your chart helps you to feel excited about this year, more so than you could about last year. You’re no longer worried what others think of your actions, but you’re ready to live life your way and by your rules. Ultimatums you give others this week end up being more life changing than either one of you thought possible. They’ve been a long time coming, and big decisions.

The planet Venus is going to be placing you right in the middle of complicated personal situations of others and there is not a lot you can do to avoid this. Why do others ask you? Because you tell it like it is and that’s exactly what you need to do in the days ahead, if you are to stand by the actions others take on your advice. Be straight and honest, that’s the best you can be.

Call: 09058 170 718*

Call: 09058 170 719*

Call: 09058 170 720*

Call: 09058 170 721*

21 March–20 April

24 July–23 Aug

IMAGES: GETTY

23 Nov–21 Dec

21 April–21 May

24 Aug–23 Sept

22 Dec–20 Jan

22 May–21 June

24 Sept–23 Oct

21 Jan–19 Feb

22 June–23 July

24 Oct–22 Nov

20 Feb–20 March

*Starlines updated every Thursday. Calls cost 80p per min plus your telephone company’s network access charge and last approx 4 mins. Callers must be 18+. You must have bill payer’s permission. SP: Spoke 0333 202 3390.

crolling through my phone, I took a sip of my pint. ‘I can’t find anything,’ I sighed. It was November last year, and I was in the pub with my mate Piers, 28, trying to pick the perfect Christmas present for my girlfriend, Jamie. I wanted to get something special for her. ‘You should make her something,’ Piers suggested. ‘It’s more personal that way.’ It got me thinking – he was on to something. ‘I know, I’ll make her a calendar!’ I said, suddenly having a lightbulb moment. The more I thought about it, the more genius my idea

called Instantprint to upload the photos. ‘This is brilliant,’ I said to Piers, feeling rather chuffed with myself. ‘I can’t wait to see the look on Jamie’s face.’ A few weeks later, on 21 December, a delivery man showed up at my door with two big boxes. ‘Those can’t be mine,’ I said to him. ‘I haven’t ordered anything that big.’ But my name was on both boxes – and so was the Instantprint logo. What have I done?! I thought, ripping open the first box in a panic. Oh no… I thought, filling with dread as I ripped open the second box. All in all, there were 100 copies of this thing – all with my starkers body grinning stupidly at the camera. ‘How have I done this?’ I cried. ‘I only wanted one!’ Logging into my banking app, there it was – the evidence. Without realising, I’d paid £80 for 100 copies. ‘You could try selling them,’ Piers laughed. Who on earth would want to buy that?! Four days later, I sheepishly handed over one of the calendars to Jamie. ‘Merry Christmas,’ I blushed. ‘Cheeky!’ she squealed as she paged through each month. ‘Do you want any more

I’d made a stark mistake

copies?’ I asked, telling her my embarrassing tale. ‘What are you like,’ she laughed, rolling her eyes. In the end, Jamie took one and I took one into my office for the finance ladies. That left me with 98. ‘I could use these for something good,’ I said to Jamie one evening. My grandad Keith, 82, had recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer – I could sell the calendars and donate the money to Prostate Cancer UK. So, I set up a JustGiving page, hoping to flog them off for £8 each. Quite a few older women have bought copies – I’m rather flattered. A lot of other people donated to my page, but said they didn’t want the calendar! So far, I’ve managed to raise £400 from the calendars. I still have loads sat in my room, and I’m desperate to shift them, but at least my embarrassing mishap was for a good cause!

zGet your copy of Dean’s calendar and make a donation by going to www.justgiving. com and searching for ‘Dean’s naked calendar’. zJamie said: ‘Dean put a lot of effort into this calendar, I’m just glad I didn’t open it in front of my parents! The fact he’s ended up with 100 of them is just the icing on the cake.’

WORDS BY LAEA MARSHALL AND HARRIET ROSE-GALE PHOTOS: SWNS

Grandad Keith was grateful!

seemed to me. I’d take 12 pictures of myself and get them printed online. But of course, the pictures had to be saucy! ‘Jamie will love it,’ I grinned. The next day, I went over to Piers’ house – he was going to be the photographer for my debut photoshoot. It’s a good thing we’re such good friends, too, because there I was, stood in front of him in nothing but a pair of skin-coloured pants. To make it look like I was naked, of course… I’d decided to have a different theme for each month of the year, and managed to find some props to help me along. This better be worth it, I thought, striking another pose. It’s absolutely freezing! Once the photoshoot was wrapped up, Piers and I got to work on the Photoshop side of things – superimposing my body in all its glory into seasonal backgrounds, protecting my modesty with anything from an Easter basket to explosive fireworks. After adding the final touches, I logged into a company

Holidays and Tours ɵǣȇǕ ǔ Ȓȅ Əȇ Əǣ Ȓ ȇƺƏ ɵȒɖ ‫ ד‬ƳƏɵ ǔ Ȓȅ

‫ ז‬ƳƏɵ ǔ Ȓȅ

£579

£799

Scottish Highland Railways

Little Trains of the Dolomites

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ÁȒɖ RǣǕǝǼǣǕǝ XȇƬǼɖ ǣȒȇ

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